Lisandro Martinez was the most notable absentee on Wednesday night as Manchester United’s 11-match unbeaten run in the Premier League came to an end.
Michael Carrick was forced to stick to the same centre-back pairing of Harry Maguire and Leny Yoro for the second consecutive game due to Lisandro Martinez’s injury.
United lost 2-1 against Newcastle following a lacklustre display at St James’ Park. It was the first defeat suffered since Carrick returned as head coach in January.
Sadly, Casemiro’s equaliser on the brink of half-time wasn’t enough to inspire United to kick on in the second half. Newcastle took advantage of that with a late winner from William Osula.
Lisandro Martinez’s absence felt as Newcastle beat Man Utd
One of the most alarming issues from United’s defeat against Newcastle was the slow tempo in each transition.
In defence, both Maguire and Yoro possess the ability to carry the ball forward, but United were missing Martinez’s eye for a forward pass throughout the game.
The Argentine can camouflage as a quarterback (apologies for the NFL terminology) as a centre back, which would have helped United’s midfield, which came under huge pressure from Newcastle’s Sandro Tonali and Joelinton.
Data from Gradient Sports shows that Martinez ranks third in the Premier League for ‘line breaking passes’, averaging 7.73 per game.
United’s build up without Martinez was too slow as a result, and Carrick was seen on the touchline – in the second half – urging his players to move the ball quicker.
Martinez played a key role alongside Maguire when Carrick initially returned to Old Trafford. He has been a huge miss for the last two games due to a calf issue.
Martinez’s ability to beat the opposition’s press and get the ball into the forward positions cannot be overlooked through tactical analysis.
It is key that United get Martinez back fit for the rest of the season because he holds the key to substantial improvement.
Make no mistake, Yoro has a bright future at United, even if he has struggled for form this season – but Martinez offers something different to the rest of Carrick’s defensive pack.
Leny Yoro stats after Newcastle defeat
Yoro is getting a run in the team with Martinez out injured, but the young French centre-back has been unable to find his best form this season.
The former Lille defender had a shaky start against Newcastle when he left the ball, which hit the woodwork, after initially thinking the ball would go out of play.
Still, Yoro played 90 minutes and made six defensive contributions.
He had one shot on target denied by Aaron Ramsdale and made five passes into the final third.
Making a total of 55 touches throughout the match, Yoro was forced to make five clearances and two recoveries.
from United In Focus https://ift.tt/VwdfExp