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Paul Scholes reveals brutal message Lisandro Martinez sent him on Instagram

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Paul Scholes and Lisandro Martinez

Manchester United legend Paul Scholes has added fresh context to his public back-and-forth with Lisandro Martinez, revealing that the defender once messaged him privately to say he had “lost all respect” for him as a pundit.

Scholes has been a long-time critic of Martinez during the centre-back’s three-and-a-half years at Old Trafford and once again took aim at the Argentine ahead of Saturday’s Manchester derby.

Speaking on The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast, Scholes questioned Martinez’s ability to cope with Erling Haaland, joking about the defender’s size alongside former teammate Nicky Butt.

Butt quipped that City’s talismanic striker “would pick Martinez up and run with him” like “a dad chasing a toddler down the road,” before Scholes added that Haaland “would score and then throw him in the net.”

Martinez, however, delivered one of his finest performances in a United shirt, helping to nullify Haaland as the Red Devils claimed a shock 2–0 victory over Manchester City in Michael Carrick’s first match in charge.

After the game, Martinez responded to Scholes’ remarks, insisting he was unfazed by the criticism.

“Honestly, he can say whatever he wants,” Martinez said.
“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 replied a day later via Instagram, striking a lighter tone.

“Someone’s had a good game. Was really happy for you… Tea, no sugar pls,” he wrote.

Now, speaking on the first podcast episode since the derby, Scholes attempted to calm the situation, admitting his comments may have been poorly phrased.

“It’s very much tongue-in-cheek, everything we talk about,” said the 11-time Premier League winner.
“I think the point we were trying to make was that, physically, they are a mismatch.

“Maybe it could have been worded better. It doesn’t sound great when you watch it back, but we were just having a laugh. Credit to him — he was brilliant on the day.”

Scholes also revealed a previous private exchange with Martinez on Instagram.

“We messaged some time ago. He wasn’t happy with something I’d said — I can’t remember exactly what — but he told me he’d lost all respect for me,” Scholes explained.

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

“I don’t remember Becks [David Beckham] fighting back.”

Despite praising Martinez’s derby performance, Scholes remains unconvinced the defender can anchor a title-winning side.

“He’s had one brilliant game,” Scholes said.
“When you start talking, football has a habit of biting you back.

“I haven’t changed my opinion yet. You’ve got to do it over a period of time if you want to win leagues. What he did on Saturday was brilliant — but consistency matters.

“They’ve got Arsenal on Sunday, so we’ll see.”

Nicky Butt was less conciliatory, urging Martinez to accept criticism as part of modern football.

“First and foremost, he was brilliant — fair play to him,” Butt said.
“He went man-to-man with probably the best striker in the world and did really well.

“But we’re podcasters — it’s like three lads in a pub talking. It’s tongue-in-cheek. Obviously Haaland isn’t going to pick him up and run with him — it’s a figure of speech.

“When players get so upset about media comments and start telling people to come to their house… it’s like, grow up. That’s football.”

1 Comment

1 Comment

  1. Albert Tsikira

    January 20, 2026 at 4:35 pm

    Scholes you did not act like a legend and what Martinez said is true even me I no longer respect you.You must encourage the kids not to hammer them.

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‘We want him’ – Club chief confirms he wants to sign Man Utd outcast in permanent transfer

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‘We want him’ – Club chief confirms he wants to sign Man Utd outcast in permanent transfer

Andre Onana could remain in Turkey beyond his loan spell, with Trabzonspor keen to secure him on a permanent deal.

The 30-year-old moved to Trabzonspor after falling out of favour at Manchester United, who brought in Senne Lammens last summer. Since then, Lammens has established himself as the club’s first-choice keeper, paving the way for Onana’s temporary switch.

In Turkey, however, Onana has rediscovered his form and quickly become a key figure. He recently grabbed attention with a standout performance in the Turkish Cup, saving three consecutive penalties to help his side overcome Samsunspor and reach the semi-finals.

The moment sparked widespread reactions online, especially from United supporters recalling their earlier penalty shootout defeat to Grimsby Town, where Onana managed just one save.

Trabzonspor president Ertugrul Dogan has openly expressed the club’s desire to keep the goalkeeper. He indicated that while Onana has his own career plans, the club would be eager to make the move permanent if the circumstances align, leaving the final decision in the player’s hands.

Back in England, United are expected to consider selling Onana, particularly with Lammens now firmly established as their number one. The club will likely aim to recover a significant portion of the £47.5 million they paid to sign him from Inter Milan in 2023, with two years still remaining on his contract.

Beyond his cup heroics, Onana has been a consistent presence in the league, starting every match for Trabzonspor and playing a vital role in their push for the title. His performances have earned strong praise in Turkey, with the club currently sitting third in the table, just six points behind leaders Galatasaray.

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Man City place Arsenal ‘bottles’ for sale outside Etihad Stadium before 2025/26 Premier League decider

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Man City place Arsenal 'bottles' for sale outside Etihad Stadium before 2025/26 Premier League decider

Manchester City appear to have kicked off the psychological battle ahead of their Premier League showdown with Arsenal.

In the build-up to the match, bottles branded with the Arsenal logo were reportedly being sold outside the stadium, priced cheaply and seemingly intended as a tongue-in-cheek way for home fans to mock the visiting supporters.

The stunt draws inspiration from a recent viral moment at Stamford Bridge, where a City fan was seen jokingly “drinking Arsenal tears” during their emphatic 3-0 win over Chelsea—a clip that quickly spread across social media.

With tensions already high given the importance of the fixture, the gesture adds another layer to the rivalry between the two sides. Arsenal, meanwhile, will be focused on responding where it matters most—on the pitch—as they aim to silence critics and deliver a strong result in what could be a defining game in the title race.

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Bruno Fernandes responds to Manchester United star’s dig at Chelsea flop Alejandro Garnacho

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Bruno Fernandes responds to Manchester United star’s dig at Chelsea flop Alejandro Garnacho

Alejandro Garnacho faced criticism from his former Manchester United teammates following Chelsea’s latest Premier League setback.

A first-half goal from Matheus Cunha secured a narrow but important win for United, strengthening the position of Michael Carrick’s side in the race for Champions League qualification. Chelsea, meanwhile, continue to struggle, with the defeat marking their fourth consecutive league loss without finding the net.

Pressure is mounting on head coach Liam Rosenior, who only took charge a few months ago after replacing Enzo Maresca. While the club has not publicly wavered in its support, questions are beginning to emerge over several players, including Garnacho, whose performances have failed to meet expectations since his £40 million move from Old Trafford.

Reports suggest Chelsea could be open to offers for the 21-year-old after a difficult start to life at Stamford Bridge. He had an early opportunity to impress against his former side after coming on for the injured Estevao, but once again struggled to make an impact, finding it hard to break through a United defence that was missing several first-choice centre-backs.

Garnacho also received a hostile reception from United supporters during the match, and the reaction appeared to carry over beyond the pitch. After the game, Luke Shaw shared an image on social media showing himself standing over Garnacho following a challenge. Bruno Fernandes responded with a playful but pointed comment, while former teammate Alex Telles also joined in with reactions.

Chelsea’s broader struggles are becoming increasingly concerning. They now sit four points behind Liverpool in the race for fifth place, despite having played an extra game. The current run—four straight league defeats without scoring—is their worst in nearly three decades, with an even longer drought not seen since 1912.

Across all competitions, the form is equally worrying, with six losses in their last seven matches and 16 goals conceded during that stretch. A significant portion of their recent goals have come in a single outing against Port Vale, highlighting their lack of consistency in front of goal.

After the match, Rosenior admitted uncertainty about what failing to qualify for the Champions League could mean for his future. He acknowledged the result was difficult to take, especially given that Chelsea created numerous chances but failed to convert them. He pointed out that United capitalised on a limited opportunity, while his side were unable to make their attacking pressure count.

Despite the frustration, Rosenior emphasized the need for continued effort and improvement, insisting that the team must find a way to turn their form around before the situation worsens further.

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