Chelsea FC v Manchester United - Premier League 2026/27
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As a lifelong Manchester United fan, I feel the veil has been well and truly lifted around Lisandro Martinez’s spell at Old Trafford after this season’s struggles.
I watched Lisandro Martinez put himself in the spotlight once again in the 2026-27 campaign for all the wrong reasons in Saturday afternoon’s 2-0 Premier League loss.
The 28-year-old Red Devils centre-back was sent marching down the Stamford Bridge tunnel in the second half of Manchester United’s encounter with Chelsea.
With the dust still settling around Martinez, I have decided to look at five major details that now stand out about the Argentine defender for United In Focus.
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5. Lisandro Martinez must not start for the Man Utd match against Roma in the Champions League
Lisandro Martinez will now miss the Red Devils’ Premier League test against Aston Villa at Old Trafford next Sunday. The 2022 World Cup winner was booked twice by Premier League referee Peter Bankes in the space of four minutes during the second half of Manchester United’s 2-0 defeat to Chelsea.
I know that Martinez’s one-match suspension will only apply to the Premier League. However, I do not feel that the Argentina international deserves to start against Roma. I fully believe that Martinez let his teammates down on Saturday afternoon and has now shown enough this season to retain his place in the United starting XI.
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4. ‘The Butcher’ has seen his blade dented and Lisandro Martinez looks lost at Man Utd
I feel that Martinez has become a shadow of his former self. Despite his inconsistencies in the starting XI due to injuries, United fans would always feel more confident when they saw Martinez’s name in the starting XI than if it were not on it.
However, I don’t think that confidence is there now from Red Devils supporters. Martinez’s reputation as ‘The Butcher’ feels like it’s in tatters, and his blade feels blunter than it does sharp for United right now. It is a sad moment to see, but Martinez is more of a liability than an asset for Man Utd right now.
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3. Lisandro Martinez’s 12-month contract extension clause at Man Utd must not be triggered
All I can say is that this is Martinez’s final season at Old Trafford. To be frank, I would be baffled if Ineos decided to extend his current Man Utd contract beyond the current campaign. Martinez is in the final 12 months of his existing deal at the Premier League club, but United could trigger a one-year extension.
However, I think Martinez knows this is his final run at the Red Devils and I see very little desire from United — and rightfully so — to extend his period at the club beyond 2027. I do not see Martinez bowing out of Old Trafford in the same resurgent form or fanfare that Casemiro had on his side last season.
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2. Lisandro Martinez’s dwindling Man Utd appearances were the red flag that the Premier League club missed
I could see the narrative that Man Utd fans wanted to peddle about Martinez’s importance to the United first-team squad. I won’t deny that Martinez was impactful in the heart of the United defence, including during his formidable dynamic with former Real Madrid star Raphael Varane under Erik ten Hag.
However, Martinez’s shortcomings have been evident since the Red Devils agreed a deal worth up to £57m to sign him from Ajax in 2022. Martinez’s most consistent appearances for United in a single season came during his debut campaign at Old Trafford after he played 45 times in the 2022-23 season. However, I feel that the former Ajax star’s continued injury woes were the biggest sign that the Red Devils should have tried to cut their losses sooner.
Lisandro Martinez’s Man Utd appearances per season across his five campaigns at Old Trafford so far:
2022-23: 45 appearances
2023-24: 14 appearances
2024-25: 31 appearances
2025-26: 19 appearances
2026-27: 10 appearances (so far)
1. Lisandro Martinez is no longer the heir apparent to Bruno Fernandes’ Man Utd captain’s armband
I think Martinez’s reputation as a potential locker-room leader spoke volumes with how different former Man Utd figures viewed him, including Erik ten Hag and Ruben Amorim. However, it does feel that Martinez has caused more harm to his reputation as a senior figure this season with his controversial actions, including his bombshell interview last month.
As Martinez was returning from injury for Man Utd’s 3-0 defeat against Bournemouth in October, it was Harry Maguire who had the United captain’s armband on after Bruno Fernandes was dropped. All I can think about now is that Michael Carrick made the right call by giving Harry Maguire the responsibility of being captain over someone like Martinez.