Man Utd ‘Cult figure’ to earn first start of the season as double injury blow confirmed

Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim could hand Lisandro Martinez his maiden start since recovering from his ACL tear.The Red Devils have a difficult fixture to negotiate on Sunday, as they’ll be hosted by Aston Villa. They will also head to Birmingham with a somewhat depleted squad.MUFC lost the services of Amad Diallo, Bryan Mbeumo and Noussair Mazraoui, who joined their respective national teams for the African Cup of Nations. Moreover, Casemiro will serve a one-match ban after collecting a yellow card in the 4-4 draw against Bournemouth on Monday.To make matters even worse for Man Utd, neither Harry Maguire nor Matthijs de Ligt is expected to recover from injury, at least according to The Telegraph journalist James Ducker.Lisandro Martinez to get the nod in Aston Villa vs Man United?The absence of the two towering defenders is a major blow for United who have been increasingly leaky at the back. Ayden Heaven was handed the opportunity to prove himself at the heart of the backline, but he had under-par showings against West Ham and Bournemouth.Therefore, Ducker believes that the circumstances will accelerate Lisandro’s return to the starting lineup.The Man Utd ‘cult figure’ hasn’t started a match since suffering a horrifying ACL injury in February. However, he made his way back to the squad in last month’s contest against Everton, when he remained on the bench for the duration of the match, before earning four straight cameo appearances afterwards.Hence, if Martinez is deemed fit enough to start, he could be paired alongside Leny Yoro in Amorim’s new-look four-man backline, with Diogo Dalot and Luke Shaw on the flanks.Will Amorim unleash a new tactical system at Villa Park?Amorim already teased his much-awaited tactical overhaul in the second half against Bournemouth, and many observers, including Ducker, believe we could witness a 4-4-2 formation from the get-go at Villa Park. Opponent  Minutes Crystal Palace 12 West Ham 2 Wolves 21 Bournemouth 21 Lisandro’s appearances this seasonMartinez’s speed and tenacity should complement Yoro’s size and strength. But more importantly, Man Utd must urgently improve their defending from a collective standpoint, as they didn’t seem to be on the same wavelength when they conceded four goals at home on Monday.