Argentina boss issues injury update on Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez

Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni has said he did not anticipate being without Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez for his side's upcoming clashes against Paraguay and Peru.

Martinez was forced to withdraw from the Argentina squad on Tuesday after travelling to South America to link up with his international colleagues for their World Cup qualifying double-header.

The centre-back, who has been a key fixture for United so far this season, required treatment in the second half of Sunday's 3-0 win over Leicester City at Old Trafford but managed to complete the full 90 minutes, easing fears that he had encountered an injury.

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Martinez, as has since been confirmed by Scaloni, who led Argentina to the World Cup crown in Qatar two years ago, was experiencing pain in his back but seemingly nothing else too serious.

However, after linking up with the Argentina camp, he was assessed and it was determined that he should make a swift return to Manchester to be looked at by United's medical staff.

"We didn't expect the case of Lisandro," Scaloni admitted. "We saw that he had suffered a blow to his back, but apparently, he had no problem, just pain.

"When he arrived here, the pain increased a bit, he underwent tests and is not fit to be here."

Martinez, who has started 10 of United's first 11 Premier League matches this season, will now be hoping to be fit enough for Ruben Amorim's first game in charge of the Reds against Ipswich Town at Portman Road on the other side of the international break.

The centre-back, 26, avoided picking up his fifth yellow card of the season against Leicester, meaning he will be available for the trip to Suffolk in the event of being deemed fit. He needs to avoid getting another yellow card up to and including United's 19th league game of the season to avoid being slapped with a one-match ban.