Manchester United suffer another injury blow to defender

Erik ten Hag’s United have a number of defensive stars on the sidelines

Erik ten Hag has a number of defensive injuries (PA Wire)

Manchester United will be without Lisandro Martinez for two months as their defensive injury problems worsened.

The centre-back has missed their last two games with what was initially thought to be a minor injury but which has proved to be a recurrence of the foot injury he suffered in April and which ended his season last year.

Martinez had played through the pain barrier in the defeats to Brighton and Bayern Munich but United now have now ruled he needs time on the sidelines to recuperate.

He is set to miss the Manchester derby and most of United’s Champions League group campaign.

It means Erik ten Hag will be without four defenders for extended periods of time, with Luke Shaw, Tyrell Malacia and Aaron Wan-Bissaka all out until November.

In addition, Sergio Reguilon, who missed the midweek win over Crystal Palace, will also sit out Saturday’s Premier League match against Roy Hodgson’s team with a small problem.

It means Sofyan Amrabat’s first Premier League start could come at left-back while Raphael Varane, Victor Lindelof, Harry Maguire and Jonny Evans are the four centre-backs available to Ten Hag.