Lisandro Martinez joined Manchester United from Ajax last summer (Picture: Getty)
Another Liverpool hero has criticised Lisandro Martinez after Graeme Souness’ surprising comments, with Steve Nicol claiming the Manchester United defender is ‘getting away with it’.
Martinez has established himself as a key member of Erik ten Hag’s squad and a fans’ favourite at Old Trafford following his £57m move from Ajax last summer.
But the Argentine international has not escaped his fair amount of criticism, with several pundits questioning whether his height would be a problem in the Premier League.
Speaking earlier this week, Souness claimed Martinez would get ‘found out’ at Manchester United and questioned his ability on the ball.
‘That worry for me is still there,’ Souness told talkSPORT, referring to the doubts he had over the defender following his summer arrival from Ajax. ‘He has not got the physique to take on the big guys.
‘I think he has bought a bit of aggression to them. We have played 12 games. There is a lot to like about him.
‘I like his aggression. If you think back to the first thing he did in the game against Liverpool at Old Trafford, he’s gone right through Mo Salah.
Steve Nicol believes Martinez is ‘getting away with it’ (Picture: Getty)
‘For the rest of the game, Salah was looking over his shoulder. I like that. That’s professional sport. But I just feel when you are that size you will get caught, you will get pinned in the box.
‘I still don’t think he is terribly quick, I don’t think he is terribly good on the ball. But he’s got something about him that makes other people play.
Asked if Martinez will be ‘found out’ in the Premier League, Souness added: ‘Yeah he will do. Common sense tells you that.
‘At 5ft 9in playing against guys who are 6ft 2in, he will get pinned occasionally outsprinted occasionally and he will get caught.’
Former Liverpool defender Nicol also has doubts over Martinez, claiming he has been ‘getting away with it’ during his brief United career and ‘over-commits’.
‘Everybody goes back to when Manchester United beat Liverpool’, Nicol said on ESPN FC. ‘Martinez was up for the game, he was going through tackles, and all this.
‘Now fortunately for him, since then he has got away with a lot of stuff.
‘His biggest problem is not that he does not read the game. He has got a lovely left-peg, but his two problems are that he is too small and he over-commits.
‘He has been getting away with it so far, with the over-committing.’
Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand, meanwhile, has hit out at Souness for criticising Martinez and Red Devils midfielder Casemiro, who the Scot called a ‘steady Eddie’.
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He said: ‘Come on Graeme, man. He’s not watched the game. I like Graeme and I saw him in Portugal recently, what a player by the way.
‘Forget all that. You’ve got to watch the games. He’s obviously not watching Martinez because if you speak to anybody and you ask about his attributes… he’s great with the ball, can pass, is tenacious, aggressive, can defend.
‘Casemiro, since he’s come in the team has arguably been the most important player in the team.
‘The two players he’s picked out are probably the worst players he could have picked out right now.’
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‘He has got away with a lot of stuff.’
