Lisandro Martinez bites back after being the butt of Manchester derby jokes

Nicky Butt joked Erling Haaland “would pick Martinez up and run with him”.

Lisandro Martinez was mocked for his size ahead of the Manchester derby (Nick Potts/PA)

Lisandro Martinez challenged Paul Scholes to speak to him face-to-face and even invited him to his house after the Manchester United great and Nicky Butt mocked the defender’s size ahead of the derby battle with Erling Haaland.

Manchester City were widely tipped to defeat Michael Carrick in his first match as the Red Devils’ head coach, but Pep Guardiola’s stuttering side ended up fortunate to escape Old Trafford with just a 2-0 defeat.

United produced an excellent all-round performance and restricted the title-chasing visitors to just one shot on target on a day when Martinez won a duel with towering Haaland that was highlighted in the build-up by two club greats.

A monumental shift from these two today 🛡️👏 pic.twitter.com/47p8z58Qkg

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) January 17, 2026

Butt joked the striker “would pick Martinez up and run with him” like a “dad after school running down the road with a little toddler” before Scholes laughed and said that “he’d score then throw him in the net”.

When the latter’s comment about Haaland winning their battle was put to the Argentina international, he said: “No, honestly, he can say whatever he wants.

“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.

“And 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, for me, I don’t really care what they say. I just put focus on my performance, the performance of the team and I give everything to this club until my last day.”

Asked if such comments give him extra motivation, Martinez said: “No, no, nothing. It doesn’t give me anything. My motivation is my family. That’s it.”

Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes mocked Lisandro Martinez’s height before the Manchester derby (Martin Rickett/PA)

Martinez was as uncompromising in his post-match comments as he was with City as United secured a first win since Boxing Day as life under Carrick offered promise after Ruben Amorim’s reign.

Quizzed if much had changed in training since the former midfielder took charge on Wednesday, he said: “So different, so different. Different mentality, different guy.

“He knows what it really means, this club. He sent us that message that he played here for a long, long time. He won everything.

“He’s a big legend. He wants to help the club and I think we were in a tough situation and today was the best moment to change that.”

Martinez said “the team today was different”, pointedly adding: “When you have a coach like Michael Carrick, who really knows, who really can share with you the energy of the club and what it means, it’s so different.”

The 28-year-old highlighted the new head coach’s quiet confidence and the relentless backing from supporters.

First game. First win.

On to the next one 🫡 pic.twitter.com/IcFdTAZUbs

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) January 17, 2026

“I feel amazing,” Martinez said. “I think we deserve to win this game.

“We were better on the pitch and I think we gave everything today. And when you give everything and you see the result, it’s an amazing feeling and I’m so happy today.

“It’s about the connection (with the fans), it’s about how we represent them on the pitch. If they see us fighting like today, they will be with us.

“But if sometimes our performance wasn’t the best because they expect from us good attitude, tackles, the DNA, the blood of Manchester United.

“And I can really understand because sometimes it’s like ‘what are we doing here?’ And today, that is the standard for this club.”