Ruben Amorim gets Manchester United defensive boost ahead of opening game vs Ipswich

Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim will be able to call upon the services of Lisandro Martinez for his first game in charge against Ipswich Town later this month.

Martinez, who joined United from Ajax in July 2022, was walking a disciplinary tightrope ahead of Sunday's 3-0 win over Leicester City at Old Trafford, having already received four yellow cards in the Premier League this season.

Premier League rules state that any player who collects five bookings within their respective club's opening 19 matches of the season will be slapped with a one-match ban.

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Martinez, who will turn 27 in January, picked up his fourth yellow card of the season in the closing stages of United's 1-1 draw with Chelsea in Ruud van Nistelrooy's second game in interim charge.

He was cautioned for a late lunge on Chelsea ace Cole Palmer. VAR reviewed the incident and looked into the prospect of the yellow card he was awarded by on-field referee Robert Jones being upgraded to a red, only for the original decision to stand.

The Argentine was also cautioned in United's 3-0 defeats to Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur, respectively, plus in their goalless draw at Crystal Palace.

The centre-back has been a virtually ever-present figure for United so far this season, starting 10 of their first 11 Premier League matches. He is already within one appearance of equalling last season's league tally of 11, with his 2023/24 campaign derailed by injuries.

New United boss Amorim is expected to immediately install a 3-4-3 formation at Old Trafford, meaning Martinez is the leading candidate to start on the left of the back-three because he is left-footed and has excellent ball-playing capabilities.

United signed off for this current international break without both Leny Yoro and Harry Maguire, meaning it remains to be seen if either of them will be in contention for the trip to Ipswich on November 24. Matthijs de Ligt, Jonny Evans and Victor Lindelof joined Martinez in the matchday squad at the weekend.

Meanwhile, Kobbie Mainoo, who has missed United's last seven matches through injury, is also on the brink of a Premier League suspension as a result of already being brandished with four yellow cards this season.

Should a player earn 10 yellow cards within a club's first 32 Premier League fixtures of the season, they must serve a two-match ban. Yellow cards are not carried over to either the Carabao Cup or FA Cup.