Jamie Carragher has apologised to Lisandro Martinez after previously expressing doubts over whether the Manchester United star was too small to play in the Premier League. The 25-year-old is the shortest centre-back in the top-flight at just 5ft 9in, and Carragher had said back in August that this could be a problem. However, Martinez has proved his doubters wrong and been a key part of Erik ten Hag’s team, helping the Red Devils win the Carabao Cup, reach the FA Cup final and put them within a point of qualifying for the Champions League. To top it off, he was also part of the Argentina squad that won the World Cup in December.
On Monday, Carragher issued an official apology to Martinez, naming him his biggest surprise of the season. He said: ‘That’s not about Lisandro Martinez, that’s about any centre-back coming to the Premier League whose well under six-foot you think is going to have a problem. But he hasn’t and every player has weaknesses whatever that may be, whether it’s physically or technically, and the best players hide the weaknesses, nobody’s a perfect player. I just looked at him and though how can you overcome that in the Premier League. I wasn’t the tallest centre-back and I used to go into games worried that I’m going to get found out and bullied. At times you lose big challenges and goals. I thought he’s two or three inches shorter than me.
‘But just like with Casemiro, it’s a massive drop off when Martinez is not in the Manchester United team defensively but also his ability on the ball and playing out from the back. He’s a warrior, he’s a leader and when you think of that spine of the team certainly him and Casemiro, two new signings, they’ve made a huge difference. So apologies Lisandro and all Man United fans can you stop tweeting me about Lisandro Martinez now please!’