Lisandro Martinez urges Man Utd to reset for Manchester City derby

Lisandro Martinez has warned Manchester United must put their European high behind them quickly and prepare for a “different” test against Manchester City at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Derby briefing

Martinez scored in Thursday’s 4-0 Champions League win over Sabah as United boosted confidence after a slow opening to their Premier League campaign. But the Argentina centre-back has immediately turned his attention to the derby and the expected duel with Erling Haaland.

Haaland hit a hat-trick in Martinez’s first Manchester derby, yet the City striker has drawn a blank in each of the five meetings since. Martinez also helped United beat City 2-0 in January during Michael Carrick’s spell in charge, producing a commanding defensive performance against the Norwegian.

The defender, however, will not be drawn into looking back. He said those previous contests are over and insisted he must be fully prepared for a game that will present new demands.

United’s victory over Sabah has lifted the mood, with Martinez saying winning naturally raises confidence. He urged the squad to stay composed and grounded after the final whistle, though, with the derby now the priority.

City have had an additional 48 hours to recover before travelling to Old Trafford, but Martinez sees United’s demanding calendar as the level the club want to maintain. He said the group want to play every three days and compete across every competition, with recovery now crucial.

Martinez was pleased to add a goal and a clean sheet against Sabah, but made clear his own scoring return is secondary. For him, the key targets are three points, solid football and another defensive shutout.

What happens next: United will assess recovery after Thursday’s European tie before Martinez leads the effort to contain Haaland on Sunday. A positive derby result would provide a major lift to a league start that has lacked momentum.