Manchester United WAGs Cancel Night Out Amid Lisandro Martinez Controversy

Partners of Manchester United stars reportedly cancelled a planned evening out after defender Lisandro Martinez issued a public criticism of the club's hierarchy. The decision to cancel a booking at the Italian restaurant Cibo in Hale, a popular spot for United personnel, was reportedly made to maintain a low profile during the fallout from Martinez's comments.

Martinez, in a mid-week interview, expressed frustration that the club's technical director Jason Wilcox and other executives did not provide more support to manager Michael Carrick during the summer transfer window. He directed his criticism following the team's defeat to Atletico Madrid.

Following his initial remarks, Martinez issued a statement via Instagram on the squad's day off, and subsequently released another statement after discussions with Wilcox and the club's board. The player was also fined for his comments.

According to reports, Martinez's partner Muri Lopez, Harry Maguire's wife Fern Hawkins, and Bruno Fernandes' wife Ana Pinho were among those expected to attend the dinner. The cancellation came after advice from the club for players' partners to keep a low profile.

On Friday, manager Michael Carrick stated that the club has moved past the controversy. "We all understood the situation and what it meant. Lisandro obviously made his statement, and he acknowledges that it was a mistake from him, and that was it really. It's really not a drama for us as a group. We've genuinely moved on," Carrick said. He added that the acknowledgement of the mistake was sufficient for the team to move forward, emphasizing that the focus is now on improving the team's performance.

Martinez is expected to be included in the squad for Manchester United's upcoming match against Leeds on Sunday.