Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes hit back at Lisandro Martinez with warning over emotional response, 'it's really sad…'

Former Manchester United stars Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes have responded to Lisandro Martinez.

Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes caused a stir with their comments ahead of the Manchester Derby about Lisandro Martinez.

The former United pair mocked his size and feared the worst about him going up against Erling Haaland, saying City star would ‘pick him up and carry him’ into the net.

Neither had checked the facts. Martinez had kept a clean sheet in five career appearances against Haaland.

At the weekend Martinez made that six in seven, with United beating City 2-0.

Haaland was substituted after 80 minutes with the fewest touches he had in a game all season.

Who are you backing in Paul Scholes and Lisandro Martinez’s war of words?

Paul Scholes and Lisandro Martinez have reignited their feud after the Manchester derby…

Martinez hit back, and now the duo respond

Lisandro Martinez let his football do the talking – but he also left a withering putdown to his critics.

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Martinez insisted that when he has seen the likes of Scholes around at United, they have never been critical to his face, even inviting him round to his house to confront him.

Now on their latest podcast, Butt and Scholes have had their say.

Butt began by commending his performance – but also laced his praise by insisting the defender only did what a United player should.

He told The Good, The Bad & The Football: “He was brilliant on the day, fair play to him. He’s gone out and he’s gone man to man against the best centre-forward in Europe and the world possibly, him and Harry [Kane] to be fair, and he was brilliant.

“We come on here and say well done, everyone’s done well, that’s what’s to be expected from a Man Utd player on a derby day.”

Defending their comments, Butt went on to suggest that their comments were meant in jest and Martinez was being too soft by taking them to heart.

“We are podcasts we are three lads in a pub, we are not on Sky doing commentary. It’s quite obvious that Haaland is not going to pick him up and run with him. It’s ****ing obvious that.

“When someone gets so upset about someone in the media or a podcast to start saying they can do what they want and come to my house and all that, grow up.

“If you are going to get so emotional about someone saying that about you, you shouldn’t be at a big club. He will get that at the rest of his career at United, there will be ups and downs.

“There is no personal issue with us and Martinez.”

“I think it’s really sad that someone gets so upset.”

Lisandro Martinez silenced the critics to dominate Erling Haaland AGAIN

What did you think of his performance?

Paul Scholes has his say

Paul Scholes added his view: “The point we were trying to make was physically they are a mismatch. Possibly we could have worded it better. I don’t know. It doesn’t sound brilliant when you watch it back, but we are just having a laugh.

“You’ve got to give him credit, he was brilliant.”

Scholes added: “At United at some point you are going to take some criticism. You are going to have to deal with that.”

Butt went on to make the point that they did not overreact to criticism during their playing careers – but the landscape is very different now with social media.

Scholes added: “I think we ought to take a bit of credit for his performance.

“I haven’t changed my opinion yet, I’m still not sure you can win a league with him. He’s got to do it over a period of time.”

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