Lisandro Martinez has hit back at Paul Scholes and invited him to his house for talks after the former Man Utd midfielder criticised the defender ahead of the Manchester derby.
Speaking on The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast ahead of Saturday's game, which United went on to win 2-0, Scholes and his former United team-mate Nicky Butt made fun of Martinez's 5ft 7in size.
Butt joked Man City striker Erling Haaland, who stands at 6ft 4in, "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".
After shutting out Haaland as United kept a clean sheet against their rivals, Martinez was asked about Scholes' comments and said: "Honestly, he can say whatever he wants. I told him already, if he wants to say something to me, he can come to me wherever he wants. To my house, wherever. I don't care.
"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 I don't really care what they say. I just put the 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."
Scholes, having seen the interview from Martinez, posted on Instagram on Sunday: "Someone's had a good game, was really happy for you. Tea, no sugar please…@lisandromartinezzz."
Martinez said things at United were "so different" in the build-up to the win against City, with Michael Carrick taking charge of the team until the end of the season, following Darren Fletcher's brief interim spell in the hotseat after Ruben Amorim's exit.
Asked if much had changed since Carrick took over on Wednesday, Martinez 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.
"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."
Gary Neville believes Michael Carrick's derby win at Old Trafford showed the Manchester United way can work in modern football.
"That is one of the best performances you'll see in any era by a Manchester United team," the Your Site pundit said on the Gary Neville Podcast after the 2-0 win over City.
Meanwhile, Your Site' Roy Keane called for perspective. "Give him what he wants! Sign the contract," joked the former United captain, referencing comments made by Rio Ferdinand after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's good start to his interim time in charge in 2019.
"Let's judge it over the next few months. The key for him is trying to get momentum in the team. He is an English coach, the English media will be pushing for him. He has done well today, but let's see how he does.
"They've won one game! The last manager won one game. He's only been there three days.
"Darren Fletcher changed the formation, but there were players missing. Michael Carrick has come in to the dream scenario. Everyone is available, City at home, they've been a little bit off it, he could have had a man sent off.
"Timing and a bit of luck, they have made the most of it. Take nothing away from him - but everyone just calm down."
