Ruben Amorim has explained why he was forced to deny Lisandro Martinez's request ahead of Manchester United's Premier League clash with Nottingham Forest on Saturday. The Red Devils head to the East Midlands aiming to secure a fourth consecutive league victory, having previously overcome Sunderland, Liverpool and Brighton. Victory at The City Ground would see Amorim's men climb to second place in the standings - albeit temporarily.

During his pre-match press conference, Amorim addressed queries regarding the squad's fitness concerns, including Martinez's current condition, Forest's transformation under Sean Dyche following Ange Postecoglou's departure, and how United will manage without Amad Diallo and Bryan Mbeumo during the Africa Cup of Nations. With this in mind, Express Sport has compiled the key highlights from the Portuguese manager's discussion.

Martinez fitness latest

Amorim has reminded Martinez of the chain of command after disclosing the defender had expressed his eagerness to feature against Nottingham Forest. The Argentine, however, has been informed he must exercise patience before making his comeback.

Martinez has been absent since February following an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury sustained against Crystal Palace, though he rejoined his United colleagues...