According to Rio Ferdinand, the injury suffered by Lisandro Martinez is a significant setback for Manchester United.

Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has expressed his concern over the two-month injury absence of Lisandro Martinez. The Dutch defender suffered medial collateral ligament damage to his right knee during United’s 3-0 victory against West Ham earlier this month. This setback comes after Martinez had only recently returned from a foot injury that kept him out of action for over three months.

Ferdinand believes that Martinez’s absence will be a significant loss for the team, stating, “I think it is a big, big, big loss. I think as soon as he [Martinez] comes back you’ll see the stability.” He also highlighted the importance of Luke Shaw staying fit, as any further injuries to the left-back would pose a huge problem for Manchester United.

The former defender also emphasized the need for Martinez’s replacement to perform well immediately. Whether it be Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof, or Jonny Evans, Ferdinand stated, “Whoever the manager plays..have to hit the ground running.” He also stressed the importance of fitness, particularly for Raphael Varane, saying, “Two months is a long time, but hopefully we can get through it.”

Martinez’s absence will see him miss the highly anticipated Manchester derby against City on March 3, and he is also a doubt for clashes with Chelsea and Liverpool at the start of April. Manager Erik ten Hag has already described Martinez’s absence as “really bad.”

Currently sitting in sixth place in the Premier League, Manchester United’s next challenge will be against Aston Villa on Sunday, February 11.