95% of fans back Martinez after defender publicly blames Wilcox for United's transfer failings

Lisandro Martinez’s public attack on Manchester United’s football hierarchy has drawn overwhelming support from supporters, with 95 per cent of nearly 9,200 fans polled backing the defender’s criticism of director of football Jason Wilcox following the club’s 2-0 Champions League defeat to Atletico Madrid.

Martinez put himself in the spotlight on Tuesday night when he argued that, while he needed to assess his own performance, part of the blame for United’s struggles must fall on figures such as Wilcox for not adequately backing manager Michael Carrick in the summer transfer window. The comments landed as a shock given that United had actually produced an encouraging display against Atletico in Madrid.

Of the 9,178 readers who responded to the Manchester Evening News poll asking whether they agreed with Martinez’s remarks, 95 per cent voted yes, just four per cent voted no, and one per cent were unsure — a lopsided verdict that underlines the depth of frustration among the fanbase over how the club is being run.

Not everyone was convinced the timing was right, however. Former United striker Wayne Rooney was among the pundits who questioned whether calling out the board publicly, on the back of a relatively positive European performance, was the appropriate course of action.

United sources have since moved to reassure that Wilcox’s position at Old Trafford remains secure. On Wednesday night, Martinez released a statement elaborating on his remarks made in Madrid, though the Argentina international stopped short of issuing a formal apology to the club.

The episode raises a broader question about the culture inside Old Trafford. Players publicly criticising their own hierarchy is rare, and the near-unanimous fan support for Martinez suggests the sentiment he expressed is far from an isolated view. Whether the club chooses to take disciplinary action against the defender — and how that decision lands with supporters — could define the mood around United for the weeks ahead.