What triggered Martinez's outburst?
- Published
Lisandro Martinez said he felt it was important to speak out the way he did.
Many Manchester United fans are delighted he went down that path, and the defender was highlighting inadequacies in the club's leadership structure.
However, there are a couple of other basic realities.
The first is that Martinez's contract expires at the end of the season. United have the option to extend it by another year.
By being so outspoken against senior figures at the club, was he trying to ensure that option is not triggered, which would allow him to leave for nothing in the summer, or, potentially, for a lower fee in January?
Martinez is good friends with Atletico Madrid defender Cristian Romero and the Argentina international colleagues spoke after Tuesday's game. Romero was similarly forceful against the Tottenham hierarchy last season.
Also, while the vast majority of United fans may agree with Martinez, internally his comments create a problem.
Most obviously, head coach Michael Carrick, having deflected questions about the defender's outburst in the immediate aftermath of the game, will face more probing on the matter when he speaks to the media before Sunday's trip to Leeds United.
Any players lined up to talk around the Elland Road trip will be similarly quizzed.
When Youri Tielemans was asked about it by Amazon Prime on Tuesday, he replied with a "no comment". Given the remarks about recruitment, he would clearly be within his rights to ask Martinez outright: "Did you mean me?"
Carrick has to manage the delicate dressing room dynamic at a point when he needs a collective focus on trying to win enough matches to keep him in a job.
Sources who know the United boss well are adamant there is no better person to handle the turmoil, and it is at times of crisis like this that his innate calmness is a major strength.
However, after five games without a win, it is a problem Carrick could do without.
