David De Gea has shared a heartfelt message with former teammate Lisandro Martinez after the Manchester United defender suffered a severe knee injury.

Martinez was visibly emotional as he left the pitch on a stretcher during United’s 2-0 defeat to Crystal Palace last weekend. Following medical examinations, reports from TyC Sports confirmed that the Argentine has sustained an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear, an injury that will require surgery and is expected to sideline him for at least eight months.

As Martinez faces a lengthy recovery, his former colleague and ex-United goalkeeper De Gea took to social media to offer words of encouragement. The two played together during the 2022/23 season before De Gea departed Old Trafford as a free agent.

Posting on X, the Spanish shot-stopper shared images of himself and Martinez, accompanied by a powerful message: “As always, you do things… like a warrior.”

United, reeling from another disappointing home loss, will now shift focus to their next challenge. They are set to take on Ruud van Nistelrooy’s Leicester City in the FA Cup fourth round on Friday, aiming to bounce back from their recent setbacks.

Gary Neville has hinted that Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim may not be fond of two of his strikers, following the club’s latest disappointing performance.

Since arriving from Sporting Lisbon in November, Amorim, 40, has struggled to establish consistency at Old Trafford. Out of his 19 matches in charge, United have suffered defeat eight times, with their latest setback coming in a 2-0 home loss to Crystal Palace. The defeat left the Red Devils in 13th place, a staggering 14 points behind the Premier League’s top four.

Amorim made a surprising tactical decision by benching both of his recognized strikers, Joshua Zirkzee and Rasmus Hojlund, opting instead to deploy Kobbie Mainoo as a false nine. However, this experiment proved ineffective, as Crystal Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta capitalized with a brace. Even when Zirkzee and Hojlund were introduced in the second half, they failed to make a meaningful impact.

In the aftermath of the match, Neville voiced his concerns over Amorim’s team selection, suggesting that the Portuguese coach may not have confidence in his striking options.

“It’s one of two things,” Neville explained on The Gary Neville Podcast. “Either he’s experimenting to find a system he likes, or he simply doesn’t rate the strikers he has at his disposal.”

Neville admitted that he had expected Bruno Fernandes or Alejandro Garnacho to play up front instead. “When I saw Kobbie Mainoo leading the line, I knew everything had to be perfect for it to work. From Crystal Palace’s perspective, they must have welcomed that decision because United had no real goal threat.”

He continued, “I’m not saying Hojlund would have scared them, but at least he provides a physical presence. Zirkzee is a big lad as well. These players might not be world-class, but I just couldn’t see how United were going to score. Where were the goals supposed to come from?”

Both Zirkzee and Hojlund have struggled to find form this season. The Dutch forward has managed just three Premier League goals, while the Danish striker has netted only twice in league play.

United had been seeking attacking reinforcements in the January transfer window, with Bayern Munich’s Mathys Tel heavily linked to a move. However, Tel ultimately signed for Tottenham, leaving United with only the additions of wing-back Patrick Dorgu and defender Ayden Heaven.

Despite Amorim’s apparent reservations about his strikers, Neville insisted that the manager has no choice but to rely on the players currently available to him.

“He won’t be enjoying this period, but he has to simplify things,” Neville stated. “Even if he doesn’t rate Hojlund or Zirkzee, he needs to work with what he has. He can’t keep making drastic changes—it’s time to settle on a team and a system.”

The former United captain also delivered a damning verdict on Amorim’s tenure so far, pointing out that the club has lost five of its last seven home league matches. With United’s struggles mounting, Neville predicted further difficulties ahead, warning that the team’s ongoing woes could impact next season as well.

“I genuinely thought things would improve when Amorim arrived,” Neville admitted. “I expected the players to buy into his system and for results to take a positive turn. Instead, it’s been the opposite—it’s gotten worse. That’s really surprising.”

Looking ahead, Neville believes that unless results change quickly, United’s long-term prospects will be at risk.

“There’s going to be more pain before the end of the season, and that’s going to have lasting effects. Amorim will likely remain in charge, but the more United lose, the harder it will be for him to gain the players’ trust.”

He elaborated, “When players don’t believe in a system and keep facing criticism, it only worsens morale. Fans are already leaving the stadium disappointed. If the losses continue, the squad could lose faith entirely, which would have damaging consequences for the start of next season.”

Despite the grim outlook, Neville acknowledged that Amorim remains committed to his philosophy. “He can’t abandon his approach now—he’s put everything into it. But the numbers don’t lie. He’s lost more games at Manchester United in his short time here than he did in his last 75 matches with Sporting.”

Manchester United will have an opportunity to bounce back when they host Leicester City in the FA Cup fourth round on Friday.

Manchester United have officially closed their business in the January transfer window, but it has been anything but spectacular for the Red Devils. With a struggling season that sees them languishing in 13th place, many expected a more aggressive approach to strengthen the squad. However, the club has opted for a relatively low-key window, securing only two new signings while allowing ten players to depart.

Defensive Reinforcements Over Attacking Firepower

With United’s attack faltering this season, many anticipated new additions in the forward line. Instead, the club focused on defensive reinforcements. One of the notable acquisitions is a Danish left-back, brought in to provide depth and competition on the flanks. Joining him is Ayden Heaven, a promising young defender from Arsenal, who has signed a contract keeping him at Old Trafford until 2029.

Upon completing his move, Heaven expressed his excitement: “I am incredibly proud to join Manchester United. This is a dream come true, and I’m thankful to everyone who played a part in making it happen. My goal is to work hard, continue developing, and become the best player I can be.”

An Exodus of Talent

While United were modest in their recruitment, the list of departures was extensive. The most high-profile exit of the window is Marcus Rashford, an academy graduate who has found himself out of favor under manager Ruben Amorim. Rashford has joined Aston Villa on loan until the end of the season, with Villa retaining an option to make the move permanent while covering a significant portion of his wages.

Fellow winger Antony has also departed, securing a loan move to Spanish side Real Betis. These two headline departures were just the beginning, as a host of young talents were sent out on loan to gain valuable experience.

Loan Moves Galore

Midfielder Dan Gore has sealed a temporary switch to Wigan Athletic, while Ethan Wheatley has moved to League Two outfit Walsall to aid their promotion push. Joe Hugill will continue his development with Carlisle United, whereas Ethan Ennis has secured a loan stint with Doncaster Rovers.

Additionally, Cheltenham Town have welcomed Ethan Williams on a short-term deal, and Jack Kingdon has joined Rochdale to gain first-team experience. Meanwhile, Tranmere Rovers have secured the services of both Sam Mather and Louis Jackson on loan.

With the January window now firmly shut, Manchester United must navigate the remainder of the season with their current squad, hoping that their defensive additions will provide much-needed stability as they attempt to salvage a disappointing campaign.