Paul Scholes reveals brutal message Man Utd star Lisandro Martinez sent him on Instagram | Football

Manchester United legend Paul Scholes has provided an added layer of context to his back-and-forth with Lisandro Martinez, revealing how the defender once messaged him to say he had ‘lost all respect’ for him as a pundit.

Scholes has been a vocal critic of Martinez for much of the centre-back’s three-and-a-half yr stay at Old Trafford and once more took aim on the Argentinian before Saturday’s Manchester derby.

Previewing the match on The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast, the ex-United midfielder questioned Martinez’s capability to mark Erling Haaland, making jokes about his size and stature alongside former team-mate Nicky Butt.

Butt jested that City’s talismanic centre-forward ‘would pick Martinez up and run with him’ like a ‘dad after school running down the road with somewhat toddler’, before Scholes added that ‘he would rating then throw him in the online’.

Nonetheless, in response, Martinez helped shut out Haaland with one his finest performances yet in a United shirt because the Red Devils ran out shock 2-0 victors over their bitter city rivals in Michael Carrick’s opening match in charge.

Within the immediate aftermath of United’s famous Old Trafford win, Martinez took the chance to issue a reply to Scholes, telling the previous England international he ‘didn’t care’ about his scathing remarks.

‘No, truthfully, he can say whatever he wants,’ Martinez said.

‘I told him already, if he desires to say something to me, he can come wherever he wants. To my house, wherever. I don’t care.’

Twenty-four hours on from United’s victory, Scholes took to Instagram to inform Martinez he was ‘really comfortable’ for him and that he accepted his invitation.

‘Someone’s had an excellent game. Was really comfortable for you… Tea, no sugar pls,’ he wrote.

Now, in the primary episode of the The Good, The Bad & The Football for the reason that derby, Scholes has tried to calm the situation, admitting that his ‘tongue in cheek’ comments could perhaps have been ‘worded higher’.

‘It’s very much tongue in cheek, every thing we speak about,’ Scholes – an 11-time Premier League winner with United – said.

‘I believe the purpose we were attempting to make was that, physically, they [Martinez and Haaland] are a mismatch.

‘Look, possibly we could have worded it higher, I don’t know. It doesn’t sound good whenever you watch it back but we’re just having fun about it.

‘If it was about you then you definitely probably can be upset, but you’ve got to provide him credit as he was good on the day.’

Scholes lifted the lid on a previous interaction he had with Martinez on Instagram, during which the Argentina international gave him a bit of his mind.

‘We exchanged messages on Instagram quite a while ago,’ Scholes explained.

‘He wasn’t comfortable with something I said prior to now. I can’t remember what it was. He just said that he’d lost all respect for me.

‘I wouldn’t have said this normally but he’s come out and said stuff so why not? He said he had lost every kind of respect for me.

‘You’re at Manchester United, probably the largest club on this planet, and in some unspecified time in the future, as we did as players, you’ll take some criticism and also you’ve got to cope with that.

‘You’re going to should cope with that. I don’t remember Becks [David Beckham] fighting back.

Though pleased to see Martinez perform in the best way he did, Scholes is yet to be convinced that the diminutive defender has what it takes to assist steer United to major silverware.

‘It [criticism] fuels you and I believe now we have to take a little bit of credit for Martinez’s performance!’ he joked.

‘But do you understand what? He’s had one good game and whenever you start talking and shouting your mouth off, this game has a habit of coming and biting you back on the arse.

‘Look, I haven’t modified my opinion yet. I’m still unsure that you may win a league with him and he’s got to do it over a time period.

‘What he did on Saturday was good, yes, but you’ve got to try this over a time period to indicate you’ll be able to win the league.

‘They’ve got an enormous game at Arsenal on Sunday so we’ll see what happens.’

Butt appeared somewhat less apologetic surrounding the remarks he made about Martinez, telling the ex-Ajax man to ‘f***ing grow up’ and get used to being criticised within the media.

‘At first, he was good on the day and fair play to him,’ Butt said of Martinez.

‘He’s gone out and he’s gone man-to-man against probably one of the best centre-forward in Europe, on this planet possibly. Him and Harry [Kane] to be fair.

‘He was good so we’ll come on here now and go, “Sensible, well done! Everyone has done really great”, but that’s what’s to be expected as a Manchester United player on a derby day. But good, he’s done rather well.

‘For me, we’re podcasters and we talk like three lads in a pub having a conversation. We’re not on Sky doing commentary on a game.

‘It’s tongue in cheek, it’s quite obvious that Haaland’s not going to choose him up and run with him. It’s f***ing obvious, that. It’s figure of speech.

‘I just think when someone gets so upset about someone within the media or on a podcast saying something about them, to return out and begin mainly saying that they will do what they need and doing that [making gestures] after the sport and saying to return to his house… it’s like f***ing grow up!

‘If you happen to’re going to get so emotional about someone saying something about you, and are available out and react like that, you shouldn’t be at an enormous football club because I’m telling you now: he’s going to get that for the remaining of his profession at Manchester United.’

Butt stressed that neither he or Scholes had a ‘personal issue’ with Martinez and each ultimately wanted the defender to do well.

‘You’re going to get your ups and downs. I got a lot crap after I played at Manchester United and Newcastle but then the subsequent week you get your plaudits,’ he continued.

‘There’s no personal issue with us with Martinez. None.’

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