Man Utd: Lisandro Martinez hits back at Paul Scholes’ criticism after impressive derby win at Old Trafford | Football news

Lisandro Martinez has returned to Paul Scholes and invited him to his house for a chat after the former Man Utd midfielder criticized the defender ahead of the Manchester derby.

He continued to speak The Good, the Bad and the Football In a podcast before Saturday’s game, which United won 2-0, Scholes and former United team-mate Nicky Butt poked fun at Martinez’s 5ft 7in size.

Butt joked Man City striker Erling Haaland, who stands at 6ft 4in, would “take Martinez for a run” like “a dad running down the road from school with a little baby” before Scholes laughed and said he would “score a goal and put him in the net”.

After shutting out Haaland as United kept a clean sheet against their rivals, Martinez was asked about Scholes’ comments and said: “Honestly, he can say whatever he wants. I told him already, if he wants to say something to me, he can come to me wherever he wants. In my house, anywhere. I don’t care.

“I think, for me, I respect the relationship if they want to help the team because everyone can talk on TV. But if you see [them] here face to face, no one says anything to your face.

“So I don’t care what they say. I just focus on my performance, the team’s performance and I give everything to this team until my last day.”

Asked if such comments give him more motivation, Martinez said: “No, no, nothing. It doesn’t give me anything. My motivation is my family. That’s all.”

Martinez praises Carrick after City win

Martinez said things at United were “very different” in the build-up to the win over City, with Michael Carrick in charge until the end of the season, following Darren Fletcher’s late strike in the heat of the game after Ruben Amorim’s substitution.

Asked if much had changed since Carrick took over on Wednesday, Martinez said: “He’s very different, very different. Different mentality, different guy.

“You know what this club really means, you sent us that message that you played here for a long time, you won everything.

“He is a great legend. He wants to help the club and I think we were in a difficult situation and today was the best time to change that.”

Martinez said “the team today was different”, he added clearly: “When you have a coach like Michael Carrick, who really knows, who can share with you the strength of the club and what it means, it is very different.”

The 28-year-old highlighted the confidence of the new coach and the unwavering support of the fans.

“I feel amazing,” Martinez said. “I think we deserve to win this game.

“We were better on the pitch and I think we gave everything today. And when you give everything and see the result, it’s an amazing feeling and I’m very happy today.

“It’s about communication [with the fans]it’s about how we represent them on the field. If they see us fighting like today, they will be with us.

“But if sometimes our performance was not very good because they expect from us a good situation, confrontation, DNA, the blood of Manchester United.

“And I really understand because sometimes it’s like ‘what are we doing here?’ And today, that is the standard of this club. “

Neville: Carrick showed Man Utd how it works in modern football

Gary Neville believes Michael Carrick’s derby win at Old Trafford showed Manchester United’s approach can work in modern football.

“That was one of the best performances you’ll ever see from a Manchester United team,” said the Sky Sports commentator on the Gary Neville Podcast after City’s 2-0 win.

Keane: Everyone is calm about Carrick

Currently, Sky Sports’ Roy Keane asked for an opinion. “Give him what he wants! Sign the contract,” joked the former United captain, referencing Rio Ferdinand’s words after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s impressive start to his interim tenure in 2019.

“Let’s judge in the next few months, the important thing for him is to try to get momentum in the team. He is the English coach, the English media will push him. He did well today, but let’s see how he does.

“They won one game! The last boss won one game. There are only three days left.

“Darren Fletcher changed the format, but there were players who weren’t there. Michael Carrick has arrived in a dream situation. Everyone is available, City at home, they have been shut out, they could have been sent off with a red card.

“Time and a bit of luck, they took full advantage. Don’t take anything away from him – but everyone just calmed down.”