Man United’s Lisandro Martinez: Paul Scholes should come to my house and criticise me to my face | OneFootball

Lisandro Martinez has told Paul Scholes to come to his house and be honest with him if he wants to criticise him.

The World Cup winner hit back at the former Manchester United midfielders Scholes and Nicky Butt by accusing them of saying one thing to his face and another behind his back.

Martinez excelled in Saturday’s Manchester derby win, keeping Erling Haaland, who is 20cm taller, quiet as United won 2-0 in Michael Carrick’s first game in charge.

But in the build-up, the 1999 Champions League winners spoke on a podcast when Butt said: “Haaland would pick Martinez up and run with him. It’ll be like you know when you see a dad after school running down the road with a little toddler.” Then Scholes replied: “He’d score, then throw him in the net.”

But Martinez feels they are guilty of double standards, saying: “I told him already, if he wants to say something to me, he can come to wherever he wants. To my house, wherever. I don't care.

“And I respect the relations when they want to help the club because everyone can talk on the television but when you see [them] here face to face, no one says anything in your face. So for me, I don't really care what they say.”

open image in gallery

Martinez celebrates after United’s 2-0 victory over City (Getty Images)

Martinez said he was not motivated by their comments, adding: “It doesn't give me anything. My motivation is my family.”

But the defender praised a third ex-United midfielder, in Carrick, for changing the mentality in the team after Ruben Amorim’s sacking.

“So different, so different,” he added. “Different mentality, different guy. He knows what this club really means. He sent us the message that he played here for a long, long time. He won everything. He is a big legend. He wants to help the club and I think we were in a tough situation and today was the best moment to change that.”

Martinez was paired in the middle of the defence with Harry Maguire as Carrick played a back four. They kept just United’s third clean sheet of the season and Martinez said the double act talked together to keep them organised.

“I've known him for a long time and we speak a lot,” he said. “Today we had really good communication on the pitch but not just only with 'H'.”