Manchester United star could still get his captain audition

In the wake of Bruno Fernandes' red card against Tottenham Hotspur at the weekend, it said much about who took the captain's armband next.

Marcus Rashford was the boyhood Red who had been at the club longer than anyone else on the pitch, yet it was defensive ace Lisandro Martinez who was given the responsibility.

The Argentine is one of those who have struggled in the opening weeks of the season, yet he was arguably their best outfield player at the weekend and relished the honour of leading the side for the second half of the match. He was done few favours by the poor performances from his defensive teammates but posed a genuine threat at the other end of the pitch with a couple of decent efforts at goal.

Martinez was identified as a potential future captain in his first season at the club, but is now less likely to lead the team out when they face Aston Villa, Brentford and West Ham in the Premier League. after Fernandes’ ban was overturned. It isn’t entirely impossible though.

Beyond that, there still remains an argument United might play better football without the Portuguese playmaker in their starting line up at all, which if true, could lead them to needing a new on-field leader.

There has long been a belief amongst United coaching staff that Martínez will be vital in creating a winning mentality, and one key reason why they struggled last season was that he was so sorely missed last season amid their extensive injury issues. It was even suggested the changing room was noticeably 'much quieter' during his absence, which had a detrimental impact on performances and results.

Erik ten Hag remains a huge fan of the former Ajax ace and views him as one of the most trustworthy players in his squad, with Martinez not only a player who embodies his desired style of play but who also leads by example with his performances on the pitch. The 26-year-old so often dictates United's overall performance and they rely heavily on his passing ability whenever they control matches. It was evident against Tottenham that Martinez was almost solely reliable for playing out from the back and when it was clear he was struggling to do so, the performance got even worse.

Leny Yoro was signed as the long-term partner for Martinez in central defence and there is still great hope for them to have a very bright future together, with the French youngster someone who is viewed as a more complementary option than the more no-nonsense Matthijs de Ligt and Harry Maguire.

At a time when their backs are against the wall and the scrutiny as sharp as ever, United need the fighting spirit of Martinez to get them through a sticky run of form and potentially keep the man who has mentored him in a job. United need their future captain now more than ever before.