Former Manchester United captain Roy Keane has criticised Lisandro Martínez following the defender’s public comments about the club’s hierarchy amid United’s ongoing struggles.
Martínez questioned the club’s recruitment strategy after United’s 2-0 defeat by Atlético Madrid in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday, a result that extended their winless run to five games.
The Argentina international expressed disappointment over the club’s failure to strengthen the squad adequately following qualification for the Champions League, calling for greater investment and more from technical director Jason Wilcox.
Speaking on _The Overlap_ podcast on Thursday, Keane described the situation at Old Trafford as chaotic, likening the club to a circus.
“I think as a reflection of the club, it’s obviously chaos there, like a bit of a circus,” Keane said.
However, the former midfielder questioned Martínez’s decision to speak out while the team was struggling, insisting that players must first examine their own performances before criticising the club publicly.
“When you’re going through a difficult spell like United are, the issue I have with certain players saying things is you always have to start with the man in the mirror before you start coming out with all these comments,” he added.
Martínez later clarified on social media that his remarks were driven by “anger and frustration”.
Keane also cast doubt on the defender’s standing as a senior figure in the United dressing room, arguing that he had yet to establish himself as a leading voice within the team.
“I don’t think there’s enough characters — enough men in there — but I don’t see him as a senior player at Manchester United. I see him as a centre-half who’s making lots of mistakes,” Keane said.
Former United defender Gary Neville also criticised Martínez’s comments, suggesting they could create tension among his teammates.
Neville argued that the defender’s remarks amounted to a direct criticism of players already in the squad, including captain Bruno Fernandes and Harry Maguire.
“If I were Harry Maguire or Bruno Fernandes, or any other senior player, I would be absolutely fuming with him because you’re basically saying we shouldn’t be here and we should be bringing more players in,” Neville said.
Martínez, 28, is approaching the end of his current contract, which expires at the end of the season, although Manchester United have the option to extend it by a further year.
United will look to respond on the pitch when they travel to Leeds United in the Premier League on Sunday, with pressure continuing to mount amid questions over the club’s recruitment, leadership and performances.