According to a report by Metro on Saturday, October 31, 2026, former Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole has urged Manchester United to consider moving on from Lisandro Martinez following the defender's disappointing display in their 2-0 Premier League defeat against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

Martinez endured a difficult afternoon in west London, receiving two yellow cards within four minutes before being sent off in the second half. His dismissal left Manchester United with ten players as they struggled to recover from Chelsea's advantage.

Michael Carrick's side had already fallen behind five minutes after the restart when Morgan Rogers produced an impressive individual effort to put the hosts ahead. The Chelsea midfielder drove through United's midfield, resisted challenges and calmly finished past goalkeeper Senne Lammens.

Martinez was unable to stop Rogers and received his first yellow card after pulling back the England international. His afternoon then took another negative turn during a set piece situation involving Wesley Fofana.

The Argentine defender raised his forearm while challenging the Chelsea centre back, prompting a VAR review. Referee Peter Bankes subsequently awarded Chelsea a penalty and showed Martinez a second yellow card, resulting in his dismissal.

Cole, who was working as a co commentator for TNT Sports, questioned whether Martinez still has a future at Old Trafford.

"Whatever the next Manchester United looks like, I think Lisandro Martinez has run his course," Cole said.

Although he acknowledged the defender's achievements with Argentina, Cole questioned his consistency and suggested that repeated costly mistakes have become a concern during his Manchester United career.

"We know he's been fabulous in an Argentina shirt and achieved some wonderful things," he added.

Cole also criticised Martinez's reaction during the incident involving Fofana, suggesting that the defender lost his composure under physical pressure.

Martinez's future could become a major talking point in the coming months, particularly with his current contract due to expire at the end of the season. Manchester United reportedly have the option to extend his deal by another 12 months.

Meanwhile, the defeat extended United's winless run to nine matches, increasing pressure on Carrick. The team must now prepare for Tuesday's Champions League meeting with Roma before travelling to face Aston Villa next Sunday.