100% ground duels won, 5 recoveries, 3 clearances: star was a rare bright spot for United in frustrating 1-1 draw vs. Wolves

Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez produced another solid performance, although it wasn’t enough as he and his teammates were held to a frustrating 1-1 draw by bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers. United draw Wolves began as the sharper side, controlling possession and moving the ball with greater purpose than United at Old Trafford. However, against the run of play, United took the lead in the 27th minute when Joshua Zirkzee’s deflected effort found the back of the net after Ayden Heaven did well to win the ball high up the pitch. Wolves hit back at the stroke of half-time through Ladislav Krejčí, who headed past Senne Lammens. Ruben Amorim made a change during the break, bringing on Jack Fletcher for Zirkzee. However, the substitution made no difference as United continued to look bereft of any ideas or attacking inspiration. Benjamin Sesko had multiple chances to score but the Slovenian couldn’t hit the target. Patrick Dorgu thought he had won the game for United with a close-range finish but he was judged to have been offside. There was a senior debut for Bendito Mantato, who was thrust into the action late on. Eventually, the Red Devils had to settle for a share of the spoils. Martinez’s performance Martinez was a rare bright spot for United and looked like one of the few who actually seemed up for the game. He started for the second consecutive game and captained United once again in the absence of the injured Bruno Fernandes. Martinez won 100% of the ground duls he delved in. His ability on the ball was superb as usual. The World Cup winner delivered 89 of the 96 passes he attempted to find his teammates with. Nine of these passes went into the final third of the pitch. He also contributed five recoveries and three clearances. Martinez created one goalscoring chance. Ground duels won100% Passes attempted96 Passes completed89 Passes into final third9 Ball recoveries5 Clearances3 Chances created1 Dribbled past0 Lisandro Martinez’s game by numbers vs. Wolves: 100% ground duels won96 passes attempted 89 passes completed 9 passes into the final third5 ball recoveries 3 clearances 1 chance created 0 x dribbled past Great to have him back. 👊 pic.twitter.com/d04waPBXUC — Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) December 30, 2025 He has seamlessly returned to form following his ACL injury, and his presence was pivotal in preventing a far worse outcome for United. Featured image Carl Recine via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Derick Kinoti Derick Kinoti is a football writer at The Peoples Person who has covered Manchester United and the Premier League extensively for years. His work blends sharp analysis, tactical insight, and engaging storytelling that resonates with fans around the world. Derick has gained valuable experience in football journalism, developing strong expertise in SEO writing, digital content creation, and social media engagement. A tech enthusiast with a Computer Science degree from the University of Nairobi, he ultimately swapped code for football commentary, bringing an analytical, detail-oriented approach to his writing. Derick is convinced Wayne Rooney is the true GOAT and won’t hear otherwise!