Rio Ferdinand has given his verdict on the dispute between Lisandro Martinez and two former team-mates. (Image: Getty)
Former Manchester United star Rio Ferdinand has come to Lisandro Martinez’s defense amid public disagreement over Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt. The Argentine defender hit back at comments made by Butt and Scholes ahead of United’s 2-0 Manchester derby win over their city rivals on Saturday. Now Ferdinand has accused his former colleagues of crossing the line with personal comments when criticizing the United centre-back.
Martinez was instrumental in the win as Michael Carrick celebrated his first win as caretaker manager at Old Trafford. The former Ajax defender effectively neutralized City’s attack and limited Erling Haaland’s influence up front. This impressive performance came against a backdrop of skepticism from former United players. The Red Devils had not tasted a win since Boxing Day’s win over Newcastle United and had been through a difficult period under manager Darren Fletcher following the sacking of Ruben Amorim, so there was uncertainty ahead of Josep Guardiola’s visit to the squad.
Martinez later responded to the claims, and Butt also retaliated after Saturday’s win. However, Ferdinand blames his former team-mates. “It’s not a beef. I think it’s being made to look like a beef. I think there were some things this week that probably crossed personal lines a little bit,” Ferdinand said.
“I’ve spoken to Martinez a few times online and in person and he’s a guy who just wants to do well, win and get back to Man United’s standards. He’s keen to see how that goes. He even invited me to go to the training ground and have a coffee. He’s a sponge. The way he plays is how I feel. He’s an honest personality and the right type of person to have in the dressing room.”
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“If something, within his rights, got on his nerves…he came out and said it. I think there needs to be some context to this perception. He’s not saying, ‘Come see me anywhere and you’ll shed tears’ — he’s saying, ‘If you have a problem, let’s talk about it to your face.’
“We’re talking about a World Cup winner here. He knows how to win. I spoke to him after the game and he was quick and clear. We have standards now and we need momentum. What I’m saying is, if you’re talking about someone and you feel like you can say the same thing in front of that person, then it’s fair game.”
Lisandro Martinez hasn’t been shy in answering his critics (Image: Getty)
The Argentine defender made a welcome return after sustaining a serious knee injury early in the season, providing vital reinforcements to United’s backline in a defensive crisis. Martinez wasn’t shy about addressing Scholes’ criticism after his win at Theater of Dreams.
“Honestly, he can say whatever he wants to say. He has already told me that if you want to say something, you can come anywhere. To my house, anywhere. I don’t care. I respect that they want to help the club, because everyone can talk on TV. But when you see[them]face to face here, no one will say anything to your face.”
Scholes’ response was more light-hearted: “Someone had a good game, you were really happy…Tea, no sugar, please.”
Butt responded more positively, insisting there was no personal animosity behind his comments. The 50-year-old said: “He was great that day, fair play to him.
“For me, we talk like lads having a conversation. It’s a joke. It’s obvious. When people are so angry about someone in the media or on a podcast… when you say it all, it’s like a fucking grown-up. If you’re going to get that emotional about someone saying something about you, you shouldn’t be at a football club because he’s going to go through that for the rest of his career at Man United. There’s no personal issue.”
