When talking about Manchester United's defensive line selection, the "Manchester Evening News" wrote an article that Lisandro Martinez's position is occupied by Luke Shaw.
This week, Lisandro participated in Manchester United training for the first time since suffering a ligament injury in February this year. The defender showed his tenacity as he has been working hard to return to the first team for several weeks. Lisandro did not participate in the game against Tottenham before the international break. Forcing him to return may aggravate the injury, which would be a foolish decision.
Missing the game against Tottenham would almost certainly see Lisandro return to the first team when he returns to his base at Carrington after the international break, and that is exactly what happened. However, his role at the club has changed beyond anyone's expectations.
When he was injured against Crystal Palace, United lost more than just a member of their team's leadership, Lisandro was the unquestioned starter in the team's back five given the few options available to Amorim.
But when he returns, he will find that his once solid starting position now belongs to Luke Shaw. The English defender has started many consecutive Premier League games and his performance is worthy of starting. Apart from a poor performance against Manchester City, Shaw has been one of the best performers at left centre-back and it was a surprise that he was not included in the England squad.
After returning to the team, Lisandro is now faced with the situation of having to wait for an opportunity to enter the starting lineup. The Argentine player originally thought that he would gradually return to the first team, but now even if he fully recovers, he must wait for Shaw to make a mistake before seizing the opportunity.
This is undoubtedly a challenge Lisandro is happy to accept, but for the 27-year-old player, the next 18 months will be crucial. His contract expires in the summer of 2027, and if he fails to replace Shaw, his career at the club may be over.