Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has left the door open to Lisandro Martinez making Tuesday's Premier League resumption against Nottingham Forest.

Martinez has flown to Argentina to savour celebrations after his role in the country's third World Cup triumph in Qatar but United's league campaign resumes on December 27, nine days after the final between Argentina and France. Raphael Varane played 113 minutes in the final at the Lusail Stadium while fellow centre-back Martinez was an unused substitute.

Varane and Martinez are Ten Hag's favoured starting centre-backs and United are stretched in defence, where Casemiro played in the League Cup win over Burnley with Harry Maguire absent through illness. Academy defender Rhys Bennett, 18, was named on the bench.

"I can't answer that question now," Ten Hag said of Martinez's potential availability. "He's still celebrating in Argentina, in Buenos Aires, he's on the tour going around in Buenos Aires!

"I can understand that, it's very emotional, very loaded when you win the World Cup [and bring it] into your country, it's magnificent, it's the highest you can achieve. But Licha Martinez also has to accept that on the 27th the Premier League will go on.

"Varane, of course, is disappointed about losing the final but he can also be proud of being in the final again and all that he has achieved in his career is massive, as a team and a player, to win so many trophies.

"He is second and he can still be proud. Getting to the final is a big achievement because the level of the nations was so close."