Manchester United defender Lisandro Martínez has directly challenged former Red Devils midfielders Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt, inviting them to repeat their pre-derby criticism to his face. This comes in the wake of United's impressive 2-0 victory over rivals Manchester City, where Martínez played a pivotal role in keeping star striker Erling Haaland quiet.

Ahead of the Manchester derby, Butt had predicted on a podcast that Haaland would "pick Martinez up and run with him" and that their battle would resemble "a dad after school running down the road with a little toddler." Scholes echoed this sentiment, suggesting Haaland would "score, then throw him in the net." However, Martínez's dominant display ensured Haaland was substituted early by Pep Guardiola, leading to a crucial win for United.

Following the game, the Argentinian defender hit back at the former players, particularly Scholes. "Honestly, he can say whatever he wants," Martínez stated. "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." He emphasized his respect for former players who genuinely want to help the club, but noted that while "everyone can talk on the television, but when you see [them] here face to face, no one says anything in your face." Martínez affirmed his focus remains solely on his performance and his commitment to the club.

Scholes quickly responded to Martínez's comments via Instagram, writing: "Someone's had a good game, was really happy for you... Tea, no sugar pls @lisandromartinezzz," in reply to the invitation to Martínez's house. Manchester United themselves are reportedly unhappy with the comments from Scholes and Butt, viewing them as an attempt to mock Martínez rather than offer constructive analysis. Both pundits had been spotted in the directors' box alongside Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford for United's FA Cup defeat to Brighton the weekend prior to the derby, a game Martínez also played in.

The derby victory also marked a dream start for Michael Carrick, who took over as United's new interim head coach just days before the game. Carrick, 44, was appointed on Tuesday and led his first training session on Wednesday, yet Martínez noted his immediate impact on the squad. "It's so different, so different," Martínez said, praising Carrick's mentality and understanding of the club. "He [Carrick] knows what this club really means. He sent us that 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 it was the best moment to change that." This performance secured only United's third Premier League clean sheet of what has been a challenging campaign.