Martinez training, could play
Metro reports Carrick suggested Martínez should be in line to “play some part” against Leeds after missing United’s last five matches, and Roundtable adds Martínez has returned to training as the club prepares for the clash. (metro.co.uk) (roundtable.io)
Manchester United went five matches without Lisandro Martínez, and now Michael Carrick says the defender should be able to “play some part” against Leeds United on Monday, April 13 at Old Trafford. Metro reported the update on April 8 after Carrick spoke before the game. (metro.co.uk) The timing matters because Harry Maguire is suspended for the Leeds match, so United were suddenly short of experienced center-backs for one of their biggest home fixtures left this season. Manchester United’s own team-news update on April 8 said Carrick was discussing a thinner back line ahead of Daniel Farke’s Leeds side. (manutd.com) Martínez had not played since United’s 1-1 draw with West Ham United on February 10, and the calf injury kept him out of the next five matches. Multiple reports this week tied his comeback to the club’s training camp in Dublin, where he rejoined full first-team work. (manutd.com) (manchesterworld.uk) Manchester United did not just say Martínez was recovering; the club said on April 7 that he was back training with the squad in Dublin. That is usually the last checkpoint before a player moves from rehab drills to actual match consideration. (manutd.com) Carrick’s wording also sounded careful rather than absolute, which usually points to minutes off the bench instead of a full 90-minute start after a layoff. Metro’s report framed Martínez as likely to be involved, not guaranteed to return straight to the starting eleven. (metro.co.uk) That matters because Martínez is not just another defender in this squad. He is United’s left-footed organizer at center-back, and his passing changes how the team starts attacks from deep areas instead of simply clearing long under pressure. (manutd.com) The Leeds game also lands at a tense point in the table, with United entering the final stretch chasing a Champions League place. Recent coverage around the injury update described the run-in as seven league games that will decide whether Carrick’s side finishes the job. (sports.yahoo.com) (strettynews.com) So the story is not that Martínez is suddenly back to full speed after two months out. The story is that United have gone from planning around his absence to having the option of using him, even in a limited role, exactly when Maguire’s suspension made that depth problem impossible to ignore. (metro.co.uk) (manutd.com)
