Lisandro Martinez just etched his name into the Manchester United record books for all the wrong reasons, scoring an own goal against Fulham on Sunday, September 20th. This strike pushed him into an unwanted club record for the Red Devils, tying him for the most own goals since the Premier League started. What a gut punch for a player who reached the World Cup final just months ago.
United’s Early Season Woes Continue
The Fulham game itself was a wild one. The Cottagers looked ready to grab their first Premier League win of the season, but Matheus Cunha came through with an 89th-minute equalizer, salvaging a point for United. While they managed to avoid a third defeat in three games, that draw won’t ease any frustrations for supporters. Finishing third in the league last season, United were supposed to push forward, not stumble. Instead, they have only one win in five Premier League games so far, losing two, and are sitting way down at 12th in the table. And let’s not forget being knocked out of the EFL Cup by Brighton & Hove Albion in the third round last week. Their defense has been shaky, and Martinez’s mixed start to the new campaign isn’t helping.
Martinez’s Season So Far, a Mixed Bag
Martinez was a regular in the second half of last season and even helped his country reach the FIFA World Cup final over the summer, showcasing his ball-playing skills. Talk about a high point! Unfortunately, he picked up an injury in that final against Spain, who ended up winning 1-0. He started this new season on the bench for their opening-day defeat to Hull City, but then made his first start in a solid 5-2 win against Ipswich Town. The Argentine has played every single minute of every Premier League game since and even started in their Champions League opener against Sabah, where he scored his first-ever goal in the competition and helped United keep a clean sheet in a 4-0 win. But then came the nightmare against Fulham, and that own goal.
The Unwanted Record and What Comes Next
Martinez now has three Premier League own goals since he joined in 2022. That’s a record he shares with former United players Jonny Evans, Henning Berg, Wes Brown, and John O’Shea. His previous own goals include one against Arsenal in a 3-2 win last season, where United rallied to win despite it, and another in a 2-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur back in the 2023/24 campaign. Nobody wants to be the first player to hit four own goals for United in the Premier League era. With his contract expiring at the end of this season, INEOS has some serious decisions to make about Martinez in the coming months. What a mess.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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