Lisandro Martinez came off the bench in Manchester United’s 2-1 win over Crystal Palace to make his first appearance in nine months.
Back in February, Lisandro Martinez was stretchered off after suffering an ACL injury against Crystal Palace.
In a full-circle moment, the World Cup-winning defender made his return against the exact same side nine months later.
Should Lisandro Martinez be an automatic starter for Man Utd? Whose place does he take?
Lisandro Martinez in the gym
Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images
Martinez was expected to miss 2025 and return in the New Year, but the 27-year-old worked extremely hard behind the scenes to fast-track his return.
Lisandro Martinez of Manchester United applauds the fans after the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Manchester United at Selhurst Park on November 30, 2025
Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images
Lisandro Martinez sends message after Man Utd comeback
Lisandro Martinez replaced Luke Shaw for the final 10 minutes against Palace to help United secure a 2-1 away win in south London.
Argentine media celebrated Martinez’s return, while Bruno Fernandes also emphasised how important the defender can be for United this season.
On Instagram, Martinez posted an emotional message reflecting on his journey to recovery.
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“Long time not being able to do what I love most and what better way to return to the court with a very important win,” Martinez wrote.
“They were months of suffering, uncertainty, anguish, imbalance… where the lack of energy was nothing to beat me, but I was lucky enough to count on my family, friends, teammates, fans, the club and the national team, to recharge the heart. Just thank you everyone.”
Why Lisandro Martinez’s return is a major boost
Shaw is in good form at left centre-back, and he impressed on his 300th United appearance against Palace.
But he now has fierce competition for a starting spot with Martinez.
Manchester United’s WIN RATE with and without Lisandro Martinez! ð¦ð·
Manchester United win 58.2% of games Lisandro Martinez plays vs 43.8% when he does not feature
Win rate with and without Martinez
Win rate with and without Martinez
Do you think Lisandro Martinez should be an automatic starter ahead of Luke Shaw when he is fully fit?
The stats don’t lie, and United’s win rate with Martinez is much higher than without the ‘Butcher’.
READ MORE: Man Utd ace managed something vs Palace after nearly 25 months to vindicate Ruben Amorim
With United entering a busy fixture list over the winter, Amorim will need depth and competition for every position and Martinez provides a quality option.
Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 formation also suits Martinez perfectly, allowing the defender to step up and be aggressive with his defending, while also leaning on his passing ability to break through defences.