Gary Neville says he would be ‘curled up in a ball’ if he was playing as badly as Lisandro Martinez is and certainly not pointing fingers at other people in interviews.
The Argentina international has been in dreadful form this season, much like most of his teammates, and was at fault again in the 2-0 defeat to Chelsea on Saturday.
The 28-year-old did little to prevent Morgan Rogers’ opener at Stamford Bridge and then picked up a second yellow card for a ridiculous challenge in the penalty area, which saw Cole Palmer convert from the spot.
It was a calamitous afternoon for Martinez after Manchester United had looked quite impressive in the first half, before falling apart after the break.
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Neville had a damning assessment of the defender, saying he was not surprised at all to see him let his team down.
Martinez spoke out against the Manchester United hierarchy last month, criticising the lack of investment in the squad, but Neville thinks the Argentine is in no position to make such comments.
‘That’s what I expect from him, to be honest with you, that’s what I see,’ Neville told Sky Sports of Martinez’s performance at Chelsea.
‘I said the other week – and you’ve got to respect hat he is a World Cup winner – but every time I watch him for Manchester United he is at fault for a goal and he was at fault for two yesterday. The first goal is solely on him. I know the midfield could do better, but Harry Maguire has to go and watch that run and he has to come across.
‘If I was giving away the goals that he is giving away, I wouldn’t be doing interviews. And to be fair, I wouldn’t be speaking out, because I have to say, I would be curled up in a ball, if I was playing like that for Manchester United.
‘We all give goals away as defenders, but the quantity of goals he gives away is remarkable. And that defence is just nowhere near good enough and it falls apart every time it is put under big pressure and it did do in the second half.’
Martinez has been a mainstay in the heart of Michael Carrick’s defence, but will now serve a suspension and may not return to the side.
Carrick does have options, with the likes of Matthijs de Ligt and Ayden Heaven on the bench at Stamford Bridge, while Noussair Mazraoui is also an option, with Leny Yoro playing at right-back against Chelsea.
Former Liverpool and England midfielder Danny Murphy said Martinez should be out of contention after becoming a liability.
‘Lisandro Martinez has got a lot to answer to, because the first goal was mainly his fault. The sending-off is absolutely ridiculous,’ Murphy said on BBC Radio 5 Live.
‘Obviously, he is going to apologise in the dressing room, but his mindset is not right to play. You can’t rely on him. He is a liability.’
On whether he would pick the defender again, Murphy said: ‘No, I wouldn’t, only because he looks like he has already gone. His head isn’t right. He is not going to be there long term, that is evident.
‘Michael has got to make some big decisions. You can’t have a liability in your team. That petulance, that behaviour on the pitch is not acceptable.
‘He has been poor for a while and he has had injury problems. He is not the answer.’
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