Man U V Everton: Martinez left out with calf problem ahead of Merseyside trip
Lisandro Martínez was omitted from Manchester United's squad for the visit to Everton, sliding him out of the side for the match and forcing a last-minute change to the team named for Hill Dickinson Stadium. The absence matters because Martínez had been a near-constant presence in the XI and is now joined on the club's injury list ahead of more fixtures this week.
Man U V Everton: Carrick explains omission and names replacement
Michael Carrick confirmed before kick-off at Merseyside that Martínez picked up an issue during the week and was unavailable for the trip to Everton. Carrick said, “Yeah, unfortunately he just picked up something during the week. It doesn’t seem too bad at all, but we’re just kind of working through that at the moment, so he’s not available tonight. ”
Carrick added praise for Martínez’s recent form—“He’s obviously done well Licha, for us, and it’s disappointing. ”—and noted that Leny Yoro would come into the side, with Jack Moorhouse taking the bench spot vacated by the Frenchman. Carrick cited Yoro’s display at West Ham as a reason for the change: “But Leny came in and did particularly well at West Ham so Leny comes in and we’ll try and move forward. ”
How Martínez’s recent run and recovery history intersect with the calf problem
Martínez had started every one of Manchester United’s last nine Premier League matches since the Boxing Day victory over Newcastle United at Old Trafford, when he captained the side, and the Reds were unbeaten across those contests. Other context in the club’s coverage notes he had been eased back into first-team action after a long layoff following a cruciate ligament tear.
Different reports in the build-up give varying timelines: one describes Martínez’s return as coming after more than nine months of ACL recovery and calls him 28 years old; another notes he only returned to action in December following eight months out with an ACL injury. The material in the provided context contains both timelines and is unclear in the provided context about which figure is definitive.
Calf diagnosis, expected absence and fixture implications
The immediate issue is described as a suspected calf injury that has kept Martínez on the sidelines for the Merseyside trip. One report in the context says he is only expected to miss "one or two weeks, " while another frames the absence as being “up to two weeks, ” which would rule him out of the Everton game and the next Sunday home match against Crystal Palace. The context also flags that it is touch and go whether he will be back to visit Newcastle on March 4.
Selection shifts, disciplinary notes and squad details for the Merseyside trip
Leny Yoro replaced Martínez as the only change Carrick made to the side for the trip to Merseyside, Carrick having named identical starting XIs against Tottenham and West Ham previously. The provided context includes the starting XI listed in 4-2-3-1 formation as Senne Lammens, Diogo Dalot, Leny Yoro, Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw across the back; Casemiro and Kobbie Mainoo in midfield; and Amad Diallo, Bruno Fernandes, Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo further forward. Substitutes named in the contextual material include Atlay Bayındır (GK), Ayden Heaven, Tyrell Malacia, Noussair Mazraoui, Jack Moorhouse, Manuel Ugarte, Tyler Fletcher, Joshua Zirkzee and Benjamin Šeško.
The context also records a non-football disciplinary detail that emerged the same day: Yoro was revealed to have been banned from driving for six months after being caught at 70 miles per hour in a 30mph zone in Cheshire. Separately, Carrick left Benjamin Šeško out of the line-up for a sixth consecutive game, despite the £74m man having rescued a point for United in their last game at West Ham.
Who else is sidelined and Carrick’s early run in charge
Martínez now joins Matthijs de Ligt, Patrick Chinazaekpere Dorgu and Mason Mount on Manchester United’s injury list ahead of Sunday’s Old Trafford clash with Crystal Palace. The context material also records Carrick’s early record in the role: he has won four and drawn one of his five games since succeeding Ruben Amorim, and former team-mate Edwin van der Sar praised Carrick for restoring what van der Sar described as United values in his first month in the role.
Van der Sar said that the last three United games had “looked a little bit like a United team from the past, ” and highlighted belief, support and late goals as features he welcomed. The context notes that, given the sparse nature of United’s schedule, any short-term absence for Martínez may be limited if recovery proceeds as some reports suggest.
