“I told him already”: United ace delivers emphatic reply to legendary duo after derby heroics

Lisandro Martinez has responded to recent comments from Manchester United legends Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt, who had previously suggested that the Argentine would struggle against Erling Haaland in the Manchester Derby. Speaking in the build-up to the game, the two ex-players ridiculed Martinez, with Butt even comparing him to a toddler in front of Haaland. Their words caused outrage among fans, but the Argentine chose to let his football do the talking. On Saturday, at Old Trafford, Martinez put in a superb shift against the Cityzens, keeping the Norwegian quiet and helping United secure a 2-0 win. Such was the Argentine’s impact that Haaland was substituted with 10 minutes remaining in the game. Martinez not losing sleep on Scholes’ comments After the game, Martinez was asked about Scholes’ comments and he said, via The Daily Mail: “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. To my house, wherever. I don’t care.” “I think, for me, 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 I don’t really care what they say. I just put the focus on my performance, the performance of the team and I give everything to this club until my last day.” “People always say whatever they want, it’s something that I can’t control. What I can only do is to show on the pitch and I think today I showed it. Imagine we have to think what people say. We have to be focused for the rest of this club. We want to change this situation and we are the only ones who can change it.” Martinez was also asked if the criticism had worked as motivation, to which he replied: “No, nothing. It doesn’t give me anything. My motivation is my family, that’s it.” On Saturday, the Argentine provided the grit and determination that United desperately needed, and made an impact at both ends of the pitch. MetricValue Goals0 Assists0 Expected Assists (xA)0.01 Defensive Contributions11 Tackles (won)1 (0) Interceptions1 Clearances8 Blocked Shots1 Recoveries2 Ground Duels (won)1 (1) Aerial Duels (won)1 (1) Dribbled Past0 Key Passes0 Crosses (accurate)0 (0) Accurate Passes19 / 22 (86%) Passes in Opposition Half (accurate)6 / 9 (67%) Passes in Own Half (accurate)13 / 13 (100%) Long Balls (accurate)2 / 4 (50%) Touches36 Unsuccessful Touches1 Dribbles (successful)0 (0) Possession Lost5 Total Shots0 Shots on Target0 Shots Blocked0 Source: Sofascore. Scholes responds to Martinez’s comments Martinez’s words soon reached Scholes, who took to social media to issue a response. While the former England international did not apologise for his previous comments, he did praise the Argentine for his efforts on the pitch. Scholes wrote: “Someone’s had a good game, was really happy for you… Tea, no sugar please @lisandromartinezzz” The 28 year old has faced criticism previously for his height, but has always responded in style. Apart from being a no-nonsense defender, the Argentine is also gifted with the ball, leading to suggestions that he could be the answer to United’s defensive midfield woes. Final Thoughts While Martinez will be quietly pleased with his response to the recent criticism, the player is unlikely to dwell on the episode. United’s stunning win against their bitter rivals is bound to shift the somber mood at the club and it is now time to focus on the positives. With table-toppers Arsenal up next in the Premier League, the Red Devils will be hoping they can add to the good start under Michael Carrick. For the record, during the Englishman’s previous spell as United’s interim manager in the 2021/22 season, he oversaw a 3-2 win over the Gunners. 🚨📸 – Paul Scholes on IG. pic.twitter.com/W4SyHMuQCA — (fan) Zaid ✍🏼🇾🇪 (@ZaidBalll) January 18, 2026 Feature image Carl Recine via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Deepungsu Pandit Deepungsu has been a Manchester United fan since 2000. In his playing days, he was an attacking midfielder with a proclivity for the back heel. Right now, however, he prefers to operate as a regista. Deepungsu has been writing about the Red Devils, Football, and other things since 2009. He has worked for over seven years with Sportskeeda, writing football reviews, opinions and news articles. Deepungsu also maintains a blog, The Thinking Me, where he writes about life and things that interest him. His favourite Manchester United player is Paul Scholes.