Erik ten Hag has four options to fix Manchester United's worrying defensive crisis

When Lisandro Martinez was stretchered off the pitch at Old Trafford on Thursday night, a frustrating night became disappointing.

That disappointment on the terraces suddenly became despair just minutes later when Sevilla scored again to make the game 2-2. United had thrown away a two-goal lead and they'd lost their first-choice centre-backs to injury.

When it rains, it tends to pour in Manchester. Erik ten Hag could not give an update on either Raphael Varane or Martinez during his press conference on Friday afternoon and it seems like both players are facing a spell on the sidelines.

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The early suspicion is Varane should be back sooner rather than later, but that Martinez could be out for a longer period with a fractured metatarsal, which can take up to nine weeks to recover from, especially if surgery is required.

The result against Sevilla was disastrous, but injuries to Varane and Martinez, who have both been outstanding this season, have the potential to have larger ramifications. The tie can be salvaged but a quick recovery for the pair is not guaranteed.

Without those two defenders against Nottingham Forest on Sunday, Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof are set to start. That pair are synonymous with the failed Ole Gunnar Solskjaer era and seeing them together evokes bad memories for some.

Maguire and Lindelof are reliable, but history has shown they're not at the level required to start for Manchester United should the club want to contend for major honours, which is exactly why Varane and Martinez were signed.

They are capable enough to deal with Nottingham Forest, who have scored just 24 goals this season - Everton (23) have scored fewer - but