Manchester United will be without centre-back Martinez for the Europa League clash with Barcelona on Thursday.
Manchester United will be without Lisandro Martinez for the Europa League clash against Barcelona. (Image: 2023 Getty Images)
When Manchester United visit the Nou Camp for the first leg of their Europa League play-off tie with Barcelona on Thursday, they will be without a key duo. Both Lisandro Martinez and Marcel Sabitzer are suspended and will play no part in the hotly-anticipated clash.
Barcelona will be without some key men themselves, with Sergio Busquets and Ousmane Dembele out injured. While it has long been known that Martinez would not feature in the match in Spain – with the defender having accumulated three yellow cards in the group stage – it has been somewhat overlooked given how long it has been since United’s last game in Europe.
However, he will also be joined on the sidelines by January signing Sabitzer, whose three bookings in the Champions League group stage carry over to the Europa League. The Austrian midfielder was yellow carded three times while playing for parent club Bayern Munich earlier this campaign.
The absence of Sabitzer will come as a blow, especially given the lack of options in midfield due to injuries, but United being without Martinez will be more troubling for Erik ten Hag. The Argentine has formed a solid partnership with Raphael Varane, and the Reds look a better side when they are both on the pitch. Therefore, he will be missed – and a decision on who partners Varane will have to be made.
Club captain Harry Maguire was handed a start in United’s 2-0 victory over Leeds on Sunday, but the England international didn’t look overly convincing. It came as a surprise to see Luke Shaw play alongside him, especially with Varane on the bench. Shaw has impressed at centre-back when called upon this term, and with Victor Lindelof remaining an unused substitute at the weekend, Ten Hag might have already hinted at his centre-back pairing for the game against Barcelona on Thursday.
Varane should start against the Catalan giants, and with Maguire and Lindelof both struggling for minutes this season, there is a good chance Ten Hag goes with Shaw alongside the Frenchman. He has played five times in that role this term – and his manager has already explained what he likes about the England ace in that position.
When discussing why he likes having a left-footed player on the left side, Ten Hag previously stated: “Because the left-footed are better orientated on the left side, in possession you then have better angles.”
Shaw played at centre-back against Nottingham Forest and Wolves in the Premier League, but the real test came when he played there against Manchester City in the derby. There was some surprise Ten Hag retained Shaw at centre half in place of Martinez, but it worked.
Luke Shaw of Manchester United. (Image: 2023 AMA Sports Photo Agency)
“It is a big decision but I think when you analyse the profile of (Erling) Haaland and the combination with (Kevin) De Bruyne it was also the right decision,” Ten Hag explained in January. “Because Luke has the physical power to compete with them and also has the tactical view to make the right decision and technical skills to play in that position.
“So I think it matched really well but I think in other games he can contribute even more on the left in the wide positions, so it’s a tactical choice and we can see from game to game what we need. And I think we have more players in our squad who have the capacity to be multi-functional and we can use that as a weapon in games.”
It is no real surprise that Ten Hag has prioritised having a left-footed player on the left side of defence. After signing Martinez in the summer, the Dutchman admitted that he had analysed the Reds in the previous year and noticed that they would benefit in possession with the addition of the Argentine.
With Barcelona in such good form, it is clearly a massive blow for United to be without one of their first-choice central defenders. Yet, Shaw has already demonstrated that he can thrive in that position against one of the most dangerous strikers in the world in Haaland, so he will be confident about doing the same against Robert Lewandowski if he does indeed start in that role.
Ten Hag has already demonstrated that he is not afraid to play players out of position in pressure matches, so Shaw partnering Varane against the Catalan outfit appears to be something United will seriously contemplate.
Man Utd ‘chase’ Arsenal target as replacement for £22m player ‘likely’ to be sold in the summer
Man Utd have reportedly joined Arsenal in targeting Real Valladolid defender Ivan Fresneda, who would be a replacement for Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
The Red Devils have been linked with several right-backs this season as Wan-Bissaka was down the pecking order prior to the World Cup.
Erik ten Hag likes to have two viable options at full-back. He has that on the left with Tyrell Malacia and Luke Shaw but he relied solely upon Diogo Dalot at the start of this season.
Dalot was one of United’s best players during the opening few months of this campaign, but Wan-Bissaka has gained the trust of Ten Hag as he has featured prominently in recent weeks.
Speaking at the end of December, Ten Hag pointed out that Wan-Bissaka has been doing “really well” since the World Cup break.
“First you have to be on the pitch, and in the first half of the season he was either injured or ill so he didn’t have a role in the squad,” Ten Hag said.
“So I think the break was good for him. He returned, he was in the training camp in Spain and could play some games in preparation for the restart, and now he’s playing two games and he’s doing really well so I’m happy with his performance.
“We need competition in the squad. He has to play games in the team and then he can develop, then he can grow.”
Despite this, Football Insider are reporting that there are ‘doubts’ over Wan-Bissaka’s long-term future at Man Utd.
The Premier League side are said to value Wan-Bissaka at £22m and a sale in the summer is viewed as the ‘most likely outcome’ for the defender. A move to West Ham is on the cards as they ‘remain keen’ to sign him.
Man Utd are reportedly actively seeking a replacement and they are ‘chasing’ Fresneda as they have ‘really active interest’ in the teenager.
United’s scouts ‘have tracked the Spanish wonderkid over the past few weeks and the club are laying the groundwork for a potential swoop’.
Fresneda was targeted by Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund during the January transfer window. Real Valladolid are able to demand a decent fee for the youngster as he is under contract until 2025.
The defender was targeted by Arsenal as they looked to recruit a replacement for Cedric Soares, who joined rivals Fulham during the same transfer window.
Club legend Emmanuel Petit has suggested that Fresneda is a player who is dangerous going forward and he has “good technique”.
“He’s [Fresneda] powerful and has good technique. He gets forward well and has great energy.”
Source: football365.com;
