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It has only happened in small doses this season but the difference in Manchester United’s play with and without Lisandro Martinez has been night and day.
Fortunately, the Argentinian is potentially set to return from his latest setback against Brentford and it couldn’t have come at a better time.
Tottenham and Aston Villa face a gruelling set of fixtures, United are ascending, players are returning, and a late assault for a Champions League place is in sight.
United need Martinez for every single game from now on till the end of the season to achieve that feat and history indicates that Ten Hag will finally be able to unleash the best version of his side when Martinez returns.
The release valve
You can get one of the best ball-playing goalkeepers in world football but he would look underwhelming if the players he is passing to treat the ball like a ticking time bomb.
Luke Shaw and Lisandro Martinez are the two most press-resistant defenders in the team and their absence has forced Ten Hag into a chaotic basketball philosophy at United’s games.
As Martinez returns, United’s play can be expected to have more control than chaos. It was already visible in that brief spurt in February when United did have him in the ranks. Arguably United’s most composed performance of the season, the 3-0 home win against West Ham United, was happening when he was on the pitch.
Ten Hag has repeatedly stressed that he has had to make adjustments to account for the loss of personnel, moving away from his preferred style.
Martinez’s return will allow him to do what he does best, and in turn, unleash the true potential of the team.
Emotional leader of the team
The comeback against Liverpool was not just shocking because it was Liverpool, but because United are almost always the ones on the wrong end of those under Erik ten Hag.
This squad’s mentality and response to setbacks have been questioned incessantly and the difference that Martinez makes with his presence and his leadership on the pitch is clear to see.
Be it marshalling his troops with vocal encouragement, or setting the example by throwing his body on the line, a team of 11 Martinez-s would be a manager’s dream.
Unfortunately, Ten Hag has had to manage with zero. Finally, one is set to return. The emotional and morale boost it will provide to the team is hard to quantify statistically but will be clear to the eye.
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