Overview
- In fresh remarks on The Overlap, Paul Scholes said he would not apologise for his pre-derby comments, conceding the phrasing was "not great" but sticking to his belief that Martinez versus Haaland is a physical mismatch.
- Before the Manchester derby, Scholes and Nicky Butt joked Haaland would pick Lisandro Martinez up "like a toddler," prompting Martinez to respond that they would not say it to his face.
- Martinez then produced a strong showing in Manchester United’s 2-0 win over Manchester City at Old Trafford, restricting Erling Haaland alongside Harry Maguire, and he praised interim coach Michael Carrick for a rapid impact.
- Scholes argued one performance does not settle the debate, pointing to recent Martinez errors against Brighton and Burnley and calling for consistency over a season.
- The dispute has played out on social media, with Martinez inviting a face-to-face and Scholes replying "tea, no sugar pls," as Scholes also noted a wave of "toxicity" in responses, including from Argentine supporters.