Manchester United boss confirms £57m injury boost for Leeds United clash
Leeds United's Monday-night hosts have welcomed back a key defender.
Manchester United boss Michael Carrick has confirmed the return of Lisandro Martinez ahead of his side’s meeting with Leeds United.
Leeds head to Old Trafford on Monday for what, on paper at least, is the toughest of their remaining seven Premier League games. Daniel Farke’s side haven’t won a league game for two months but will be on cloud nine following Sunday’s FA Cup quarter-final penalty-shootout win at West Ham.
Monday-night hosts Manchester United had no FA Cup commitments and are now into their third week without a competitive match. Carrick’s squad are currently at a training camp in Dublin as attempts are made to keep them sharp and Martinez was spotted taking part in an open training session on Tuesday.
The combative defender, signed from Ajax for £56.7million back in 2022, has missed Manchester United’s last five games due to a calf injury but could make his return against Leeds. It’s a timely boost, too, with fellow centre-back Harry Maguire set to serve a one-match ban on Monday following his red card against Bournemouth before the break.
“Talking of defenders, Licha [Martinez] is back in training today as well, obviously after a few games out, positive to have him back ahead of the next set of games,” Carrick told Inside Carrington. “As you’re saying about the break, it’s actually worked in our favour in some ways of getting players back.
“You know, Mason’s back in and around it as well and he’s been training,” he added. And he’s had that period of time to build that up. So, to have Licha back around us this week is good. And obviously Harry [Maguire]’s going to miss the game.
“So, to have Licha back in around with Leny [Yoro] and Ayden [Heaven] and just want to keep getting stronger as a group, really. So that’s part of this, trying to use that to do that this week.”
It remains to be seen if Martinez’s fellow defender Patrick Dorgu will be available. The full-back has missed eight games with a hamstring injury and as of Tuesday, hadn’t yet trained with the squad.
Forward pair Benjamin Sesko and Bryan Mbeumo both missed international duty with Slovenia and Cameroon, respectively, but both are in Dublin and expected to be fit for Leeds. Centre-back Matthijs De Ligt didn’t travel due to a back injury that’s kept him out since November.
Leeds have been left sweating on the fitness of two key players ahead of Monday’s trip to Old Trafford. Anton Stach limped off at West Ham with a suspected ankle ligament injury while Joe Rodon was also substituted after an awkward fall. The Whites did not risk left-back Gabriel Gudmundsson while Daniel James is expected to miss out with an adductor strain.