Manchester United have only two wins from nine matches across all competitions this season. They currently sit just 13th in the table, and the pressure is quickly mounting on manager Michael Carrick. Within this pressure cooker, central defender Lisandro Martinez lashed out on Tuesday night, in front of anyone who would put a microphone and camera in front of him.
The main target of Martinez’s scorn was Sporting Director Jason Wilcox, whom the Argentine blames for not doing enough this past summer transfer window.
Leeds United vs Manchester United FYIs
Kickoff: Sunday October 18, 2pm, Elland Road, Leeds, United Kingdom
Lisandro Martinez’s full remarks, and analysis of them: go here
Red Roses Rivalry History: go here
Premier League Form, Standings: Man United 13th, 30 pts, WDLDD Leeds United 7th, 9 pts, DDWDL
Google Result Probability: Man United win 33% Draw 27% Leeds United win 40%
Man United Team News
According to reports, the INEOS leadership has no plans to sack Wilcox any time soon. So they will likely back Wilcox and punish Lisandro Martinez, but how?
Will they have Carrick bench him? Will they suspend him?
Will they issue a statement in response to his remarks?
Will they try to move up his exit (his contract expires at the end of the season), and sell Martinez in the winter window?
Watch this space, because perhaps he will play no part in the Roses Rivalry on Sunday.
Neither will the following players, but for injury reasons instead: Ben Sesko, Patrick Dorgu, Manuel Ugarte and Thomas Heaton.
Elsewhere Noussair Mazraoui remained sidelined in midweek, but the thought is that he could be passed fit on the weekend, possibly.
The status of English internationals Kobbie Mainoo and Luke Shaw is in doubt too, as they both got hurt in that score draw with Tottenham; a match that felt like a devastating draw.
“They both picked up issues in the game on Saturday,” Carrick said on Monday..
“And we were working through that, to see what that looks like.”
Given the notoriously extensive injury history that Shaw has, it is inexplicable that United didn’t sign some cover at the left back position this summer.
Martinez certainly made some valid points about Wilcox.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, Ratings and RG. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.