Manchester United handed “very bad” injury blow in West Ham win

The Red Devils might have to play without a key defender for the next few months.

Lisandro Martinez limped off the pitch in Manchester United’s 3-0 victory over West Ham on Sunday.

The Red Devils claimed an easy victory over West Ham as they reached sixth in the Premier League standings. However, a massive injury blow tainted United’s victory as Martinez left the pitch with a seemingly serious injury in the second half.

Following a tussle with Vladimir Coufal, Martinez needed on-pitch treatment on his knee before being substituted with Raphael Varane.

Speaking after the game, Erik ten Hag confirmed the defender could be facing a long spell on the sidelines.

“I can’t tell the detail but it seems bad,’ he said. ‘We have to wait for the detail and making the right diagnosis in the coming days,” the Man Utd manager said.

“We’ll see what is going on. In this moment, we’re very sad about this but, hopefully, it’s not too bad. We can only pray.”

Martinez suffered a fractured metatarsal last season, leaving Ten Hag with insufficient options in the backline. He eventually returned to action in August after undergoing injury but suffered a relapse and had to go under the knife again.

“It’s very bad for him and very bad for the team,” Ten Hag added. “He’s just returning and is a very important part for us. Last season, when he fell out, I felt our performances dropped a level.

“We have to avoid that because we have a good squad and centre-backs who can fill in. But he definitely brings spirit to the team, apart from his footballing abilities.”