Lisandro Martinez's uplifting presence makes case for the defence of Erik ten Hag. But probably too late.

Plus pressure on Grealish, Rooney has to seize Argyle chance and Leeds' hope amidst gloom.

When Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Sir Dave Brailsford and company conduct their review this week into Manchester United’s season and into Erik ten Hag’s fate, the numbers being crunched must include 36. This was the amount of games missed by Lisandro Martinez this season. The left-sided centre-back is so much more than “The Butcher” as lauded by fans for his aggressive tackling. He’s the glue that keeps United’s back-four together, the strong personality and loud voice that galvanises them. He’s the player with the touch and willingness to take the ball from Andre Onana and build moves, passing precisely into midfield. He’s the 5ft 9in warrior with the spring, timing and determination to mark and manoeuvre out of the way far taller opponents like Manchester City’s Erling Haaland as in Saturday’s 2-1 triumph in the FA Cup final. So it was a fitting image at the final whistle when he hoisted Ten Hag into the air in celebration. When Martinez is around, Ten Hag must feel lifted.

Martinez holds off Haaland. Photo: Richard Callis/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty

What Jonny Evans called United’s “lower defensive counter-attacking style” against City was built on more robust foundations with Martinez at the base. His absences have been costly for Ten Hag, who has had to use 15 central-defensive partnership this injury-plagued season, and rarely able to field his best, the Raphael Varane-Martinez combination.

Will Ratcliffe consider the Martinez factor when assessing Ten Hag’s future? Unlikely. But the review should include the facts that on September 3, Martinez injured his foot against Arsenal, stoically played against Brighton and Bayern Munich, but needed an operation and missed 22 games. On February 4, the Argentine suffered medial collateral ligament damage to his right knee which became trapped following a challenge by West Ham’s Vladimir Coufal. He was out for eight matches. On April 2, the 26-year-old strained his calf in training and was unavailable for six games. He’s played only 14 times for Ten Hag this season.

United have not lost in the eight games Martinez has played in 2024. He’s so important. He’s a fighter, imbuing those around with more belief. He’s streetwise, getting away with a subtle nudge on Haaland. He’s a leader, demanding the best from others. When Alejandro Garnacho continued celebrating his goal, Martinez congratulated his compatriot, embraced him, and then told him to get on with the game.

He’s also a reminder that Ten Hag can buy well. Even if the injury record is a concern, Martinez is proving a winner for £48.5m from Ajax and fans loved the way he squared up to Kyle Walker when slowly leaving the field after being substituted with cramp at Wembley. Martinez was smart, wasting more time with his skirmish with Walker.

After the game, Pep Guardiola hailed Martinez as amongst the “top five centre-backs in the world”. Probably the greatest praise you can give Martinez is that he’d get into Guardiola’s side. He’s certainly vital for Ten Hag’s. Whether Ratcliffe, Brailsford and the rest of the Ineos review team take that into account is probably unlikely. United’s season was mainly one of showers with just that glimpse of sunshine at Wembley, the clouds dispelled by Martinez. If only he’d been available more for Ten Hag.

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Jack Grealish has remained on the bench for City’s last three games, against Spurs, West Ham and now United in the FA Cup final. Guardiola has used Phil Foden occasionally off the left as well as unleashing Jeremy Doku’s directness there. Of Grealish, who has been hampered by a dead leg and groin injury this season, Guardiola said, “He’s struggled this season and Jeremy has made an incredible step forward as everyone has seen in the last games. But Jack will be back at the level of last season, I'm pretty sure.” With Anthony Gordon an option on the left for Gareth Southgate, and Foden probably earmarked to start there for England at the Euros, Grealish needs to grasp any opportunity during the forthcoming friendlies against Bosnia & Herzegovina and Iceland.

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It is good to see Wayne Rooney back in football. Whether he will do much at Plymouth Argyle remains to be seen. His first decision is around how much punditry work he can commit to this summer. Argyle should be his focus. Rooney did well in difficult circumstances at Derby County, clearly understands the game deeply and learned under the best in Sir Alex Ferguson, but he failed to impress at DC United and was a disaster at Birmingham City. He’s won only 42 of his 166 games as a manager. The 38-year-old has much to prove. But it is good to see Rooney back in football because he loves the game, because it’s good to see young managers get a second (or third) chance, and he needs the daily involvement.

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Leaving Wembley after the Championship play-off final, I spoke to some disconsolate Leeds United fans ruing their sixth failure in the play-offs. One supporter rattled off the dates of the post-season defeats like defeats in battle: 86/87, 05/06, 07/08, 08/09, 18/19 and now this. Southampton were worthy winners, rising to the occasion better, but Leeds are still heading in the right direction under the chairman, Paraag Marathe, and 49ers Enterprises, the strategic arm of San Francisco 49ers. People focus on the celebrity involvement of A-listers like Will Ferrell but Marathe and 49s are serious operators. Long before the full takeover, the Americans went into the club, looked long and hard at what was right and wrong, and gradually and quietly made changes, staff in and out. Morrie Eisenberg arrived as chief operating officer, Robbie Evans as chief strategy officer and Nick Hammond as transfer consultant. It might not be clear on the surface, where results and league status define all, but plenty of rebuilding work is going on behind the scenes. Sunday was another bleak play-off day for Leeds but there is hope for the future.