Paul Scholes has revealed that Lisandro Martinez messaged him on Instragram recently claiming that he’d “lost all respect” for the Man Utd legend.

Scholes has been one of the Argentina international’s biggest critics since he joined Man Utdfrom Ajax in a deal worth ￡57m in 2022.

Previewing the derby match against Man City, Scholes doubted Martinez’s ability to mark Erling Haaland, while former Man Utd team-mate Nicky Butt joked about Martinez’s size.

Butt joked before the Manchester Derby that Haaland would “pick Martinez up and run with him” and would resemble “a dad after school running down the road with a little toddler”.

Scholes added that Haaland would “score, then throw him in the net” ahead of Man Utd’s impressive win against Man City at Old Trafford.

The Argentine put in a great performance as Man Utd beat Man City 2-0 on Saturday with goals from Bryan Mbeumo and Patrick Dorgu sealing the points.

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After the match, Martinez responded to Scholes’ jibes: “No, honestly, he can say whatever he wants.

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

Scholes responded by praising the defender and accepting his invitation, he said on Instagram:?“Someone’s had a good game. Was really happy for you… Tea, no sugar pls.”

The Man Utd legend insists his comments had been “tongue in cheek” and that he “could have worded” them “better”.

Scholes said in the latest episode of The Good, The Bad & The Football: “It’s very much tongue in cheek, everything we talk about.

“I think the point we were trying to make was that, physically, they [Martinez and Haaland] are a mismatch.

“Look, possibly we could have worded it better, I don’t know. It doesn’t sound brilliant when you watch it back but we’re just having a laugh about it.

“If it was about you then you probably would be upset, but you’ve got to give him credit as he was brilliant on the day.”

Scholes also revealed that Martinez previously made his feelings known on a direct message on Instagram, he added:?“We exchanged messages on?Instagram?quite some time ago.

“He wasn’t happy with something I said in the past. 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 all kinds of respect for me.

“You’re at Manchester United, probably the biggest club in the world, and at some point, as we did as players, you are going to take some criticism and you’ve got to deal with that.

“You’re going to have to deal with that. I don’t remember Becks [David Beckham] fighting back.”

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Despite praising Martinez, Man Utd legend Scholes is not totally convinced that the Argentina international will be a success at Old Trafford.

Scholes continued: “It [criticism] fuels you and I think we have to take a bit of credit for Martinez’s performance!

“But do you know what? He’s had one brilliant game and when 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 changed my?opinion?yet. I’m still not sure that you can win a league with him and he’s got to do it over a period of time.

“What he did on Saturday was brilliant, yes, but you’ve got to do that over a period of time to show you can win the league.

“They’ve got a big game at?Arsenal?on Sunday so we’ll see what happens.”

Former Man Utd midfielder Butt was less apologetic, he said:?“First and foremost, he was brilliant on the day and fair play to him.

“He’s gone out and he’s gone man-to-man against probably the best centre-forward in Europe, in the world possibly. Him and Harry [Kane] to be fair.

“He was brilliant so we’ll come on here now and go, “Brilliant, well done! Everyone has done really great”, but that’s what is to be expected as a?Manchester United?player on a derby day. But brilliant, he’s done really 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 pick 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 in the media or on a?podcast?saying something about them, to come out and start basically saying that they can do what they want and doing that [making gestures] after the game and saying to come to his house… it’s like f***ing grow up!

“If you’re going to get so emotional about someone saying something about you, and come out and react like that, you shouldn’t be at a big football club because I’m telling you now: he’s going to get that for the rest of his career at Manchester United.”

Butt insists that both he and Scholes just want the Man Utd defender to succeed, he added: “You’re going to get your ups and downs. I got so much crap when I played at Manchester United and?Newcastle?but then the next week you get your plaudits,’ he continued.

“There’s no personal issue with us with Martinez. None.”

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