Rio Ferdinand was shocked by Graeme Souness’ comments (Pictures: YouTube)
Rio Ferdinand has hit out at Graeme Souness for criticising Manchester United duo Lisandro Martinez and Casemiro.
Argentine defender Martinez and Brazilian midfielder Casemiro both arrived at Old Trafford over the summer, signing from Ajax and Real Madrid respectively.
The duo are quickly becoming fans’ favourites at United, with Martinez praised for his tenacious defending and Casemiro credited for bringing quality and composure to the midfield.
Despite their impact this season, Souness questioned both players in an interview with talkSPORT earlier this week.
The former Liverpool midfielder claimed Martinez would get ‘found out’ in the Premier League and said he is still not good enough on the ball – an area of his game he is often praised for.
‘I just feel when you are that size you will get caught. You will get pinned in the box,’ Souness said.
‘I don’t think he’s terribly quick, I don’t think he’s terribly good on the ball, but he makes other people play and has real aggression, which Argentinians tend to have.
‘We are talking about the Premier League. He will [get found out].’
Meanwhile, Souness insisted five-time Champions League winner Casemiro will never be a ‘great player’ and described him as a ‘steady Eddie’.
He added: ‘Casemiro will make a big difference to them. But I don’t see him as a great player.
‘You [talkSPORT colleagues Jim White and Simon Jordan] are accusing me of calling him a steady Eddie, I stand by that. He is a good steady Eddie. Not a great player.
‘A steady Eddie is a 7.5 out of ten every week. In my language it means he’s a seven, 7.5 every week, he is a real team player.’
Responding to Souness’ comments, Ferdinand said on the Vibe with Five YouTube channel: ‘Oh come on Graeme, man. He’s not watched the games.
‘Graeme, I’m sorry because I like you and what a player he was by the way… but forget all that now, you’ve got to watch the games man! You’ve got to watch the games, you can’t be saying things like that.
‘He’s obviously not watching Martinez because one of his main attributes when you speak to anyone who knows the game is he’s great with the ball, he’ll take it anywhere, he can pass, he’s tenacious, aggressive, can defend.
‘To say he can’t pass… and he called Casemiro a steady Eddie? He’s won five Champions Leagues bruv and been integral to all of them. He can’t be a steady Eddie.
‘United have been winning and Martinez is one of the best players in the team at the moment. Casemiro, since coming in the team, has been arguably the most important player.
‘The two players he’s picked out are probably the worst two he could have picked [for criticism].’
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‘Oh come on Graeme!’
