- Man United were eliminated from the EFL Cup by Tottenham on Thursday evening
- Jamie Carragher revealed he is ‘concerned’ about one of the club’s defenders
- LISTEN NOW: It all starts! Are Tottenham managers treated differently to other managers?
Jamie Carragher has renewed his criticism of a key Man United star following the club’s exit from the Carabao Cup at the hands of Tottenham.
Ruben Amorim opted to field a rotating side after scoring his biggest win since taking charge at Old Trafford in the 2-1 victory over Man City.
The Portuguese made two changes to his trademark three, with Victor Lindelof and Leny Yoro replacing the ailing Harry Maguire and Matthijs de Ligt.
Lisandro Martinez retained his place in the side but endured a nightmare night at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
In a match full of individual errors on both sides, Martinez was at fault for Spurs’ second goal as his poor attempt to clear his lines was intercepted by Dejan Kulusevski, who then converted from close range.
Gary Neville slammed the Argentine defender for his ‘weak’ comments on commentary, and after the match Carragher claimed Martinez has not yet adapted to Amorim’s system.
Jamie Carragher has singled out a Man United player for criticism following his defeat to Spurs
Lisandro Martinez struggled during the match as United were defeated 4-2 in North London
And Carragher stressed that the Argentine’s lack of height for a centre-back remains a concern
He said: ‘I think the Manchester United fans will worry Martinez a bit because I was very critical of him when he first came.
‘I didn’t think he could play in a back four because he would be too small. But he had a very good first season.
‘In some ways you think he’s a perfect fit for a back three. He can step out with the left foot and has two bigger players next to him.
‘Even though he played a great ball for the Manchester derby winner, I don’t think he’s looked this comfortable since Amorim came in.’
During Friday’s episode of Stick to Football, Carragher reiterated his concerns.
“I said this when Manchester United signed him, but I was worried about Lisandro Martinez because of his height,” he said.
‘If I were a manager I would never buy such a small defender and the reason for that is because it’s not just about him. I like him as a player and he has a great spirit, he is brilliant on the ball and he is aggressive.
‘But the way the games are now, because full-backs are almost wingers, there are not that many big players in your team, so your full-backs are not the biggest anymore.
Martinez joined Old Trafford from Ajax during Erik ten Hag’s first summer at the club
The 26-year-old has made 81 appearances in all competitions for United, scoring one goal
‘I always think that at set pieces, sometimes with your centre-backs and now even with your striker – how many teams play with a big player up front – it doesn’t happen that often.
“Your two centre-backs, just for set pieces, have to be 6ft, 6ft tall, so at least you have those two pillars.”
After United fought their way back into the match, Martinez came under fire again on social media in the build-up to the decisive goal.
When Spurs captain Son Heung-min went down injured in the closing stages, Martinez rushed over in an attempt to rush the striker off the pitch, but he scored straight from the ensuing corner.