Lisandro Martinez ‘Bullied’ in Manchester United’s Defensive Collapse

 

Manchester United’s defensive struggles came to the forefront in their shocking 3-2 defeat against Nottingham Forest, with Lisandro Martinez receiving heavy criticism

for his role in conceding two key goals. Pundits and former players alike dissected the team’s performance, labeling it “soft” and avoidable.

 

Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp focused on Martinez’s positioning during Forest’s opening goal, scored by Nikola Milenkovic just 90 seconds into the match. Redknapp described how the Forest player overpowered Martinez in the box to head the ball home.

 

“Martinez gets bullied, let’s be honest. Milenkovic will be thinking it’s his lucky day. ‘I’m too big, too powerful, too strong for you,’” Redknapp commented.

 

Former United defender Phil Jones added to the critique, questioning Martinez’s approach to defending the corner. “He’s almost too fixated on stopping Milenkovic from scoring. His body shape is wrong; he needs to be more side-on. Martinez should have been more aggressive and stopped him from making his run,” Jones explained.

Costly Errors and a Defining Moment

The issues didn’t end there. Martinez was also involved in Forest’s third and deciding goal. A looping header from Chris Wood could have been cleared, but Martinez hesitated, allowing the ball to bounce off the post and into the net.

 

Jones highlighted the collective breakdown in United’s defense: “Martinez will be disappointed he didn’t manage to clear it. It’s another soft goal to concede. Onana could have done better too but seemed caught in two minds. It’s a mix-up they’ll want to forget.”

 

Redknapp also pointed to Martinez’s failure to handle the situation, saying, “He has to deal with it. That goal was completely avoidable.”

Man United’s Defensive Problems Run Deep

This marks back-to-back defeats for Manchester United under new manager Ruben Amorim. After a narrow loss to Arsenal, the Forest result was one they couldn’t afford to drop. The defensive ratings from Fotmob underscored the poor display: Martinez received a score of 6.1, while Matthijs De Ligt and Leny Yoro were rated even lower at 5.6 and 5.4, respectively. Goalkeeper Andre Onana earned the worst rating with a 3.2, following a mix-up during the decisive third goal.

 

Manchester United’s ongoing defensive issues have spurred transfer rumors. Reports suggest the club is targeting Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi but are considering an offer far below Palace’s valuation. Meanwhile, Real Madrid’s interest in Martinez has made headlines, though his recent performances might have lowered his stock.

 

Adding to their woes, Manchester United is reportedly preparing to offload winger Antony in January, signaling that the team’s problems extend beyond just the defense.