Lisandro Martinez Shakes Up Manchester United
Martinez’s remarks also conveyed a message: if United stumble again, the manager and players should not be blamed alone.
Jakarta (ANTARA) — Since beating Sabah FK 4-0 in a Champions League match on 11 September, Manchester United had gone four games without a win before facing Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday (13 October).
The Red Devils were also knocked out of the League Cup at the first hurdle, losing 3-2 to Brighton on 17 September, four days after being humbled 1-0 by 10-man Manchester City in the league.
Ironically, both defeats came at Old Trafford, Manchester United’s home ground.
Michael Carrick’s side also failed to take all three points against Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur, despite both clubs struggling near the bottom of the table.
It was therefore understandable that few expected United to bounce back against Atletico, particularly with the match being played at Atletico’s home ground, the Metropolitano Stadium.
United duly lost. An early goal from Pablo Barrios, followed by one from Ademola Lookman after the Red Devils had already lost Leny Yoro to a red card, condemned United to their fourth defeat of the season.
That tally of defeats marked the club’s worst start to a season in 40 years.
Many were unsurprised by the 2-0 loss to Atletico, but many were taken aback by comments from United player Lisandro Martinez.
The centre-back, whose contract expires next summer, openly broke a taboo by criticising United’s management.
He defended his under-pressure manager, Michael Carrick, and his team-mates. In Martinez’s view, the manager and players should not be the only ones held responsible for the team’s worst start to the season.
Martinez said it was easy to blame the manager or the players, but that the performance of United’s management also needed scrutiny.
“I would expect (investment in players) to be more, 100 per cent. I would expect more from our technical director, Jason Wilcox,” Martinez said, as quoted by The Guardian.
Martinez was frustrated with Wilcox and the club’s management, whose transfer strategy could be described as poor.