Jamie Carragher gets high pitched around Lisandro Martinez as height comment remembered

Jamie Carragher enjoyed a laugh with Manchester United star Lisandro Martinez after joking and measuring himself against the center-back.

United kicked its Premier League campaign off with a 1-0 win against Fulham at Old Trafford thanks to a late winner from debutant Joshua Zirkzee. But United’s defense was able to keep a clean sheet and Martinez faced up to the punditry team of Roy Keane, Gary Neville and Carragher at full-time.

Martinez was speaking to the trio as they began dissecting the Argentine’s performance, notably against the incredible speed and power of winger Adama Traore who found himself squaring up against the center-back on the counter attack. Neville asked Martinez how he had found the physicality of the Premier League and the criticism he’s faced. Martinez immediately reacted by pointing and looking at Carragher, remembering the Liverpool legend's comments, causing everyone to burst into laughter.

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Carragher then moved past Keane to stand next to Martinez, measuring himself against the United star, and standing at roughly the same height, breaking into a high-pitched laugh as he stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the Argentine.

Carragher had previously said on the Stick to Football podcast, that he wasn’t convinced by Martinez for his physical presence, standing at 5-foot-9 tall. “I said this when Manchester United signed him, but I did worry about Lisandro Martinez for his height,” Carragher said.

“If I was a manager, I would never buy a defender that small and the reason being it's not just him, I like him as a player and he's got great spirit, he's brilliant on the ball, he's aggressive. But the way football is now, probably 20 years ago I used to play full-back, and you'd normally have a back four, one of your full-backs would be tall as well for set-pieces.

“But the way the games now, because full-backs are almost like wingers, there's not that many big players in your team, so your full-backs aren't the biggest anymore. I always think for set-pieces, your center-backs sometimes and even your striker now - how many teams play with a massive player up front - it doesn't really happen as much.

“Your two center-backs have got to be, just for set-pieces, 6ft 3in, 6ft 4in, so at least you've got those two pillars."

Carragher said after the interview: “That was a brilliant interview, he’s given you a bit of tactical insight in terms of the team, he’s speaking about the players. He didn’t come on and make excuses. Of course, we criticize and analyze players, sometimes we give them praise. But to come on and say ‘I’m playing for Man United, if you think you can come here and not be questioned, looked at, criticized'.

“And he was heavily criticized at the start of last season, he said I didn’t play my best football when he first came in. But that type of personality to come up and front that and not look for excuses. He’s a warrior, you can see that by the way he plays. I thought he came across brilliantly.”

Neville said: “(He should) speak more after games, that’s the first time I think we’ve seen him come out and do an interview like that. Obviously learning the language and getting used to it but I think when you hear him speak like that he gives an authority and belief to the dressing room because he’s confident in himself.”

Neville added that he was impressed by Martinez’s manner talking and speaking to pundits who have slammed his game and natural build in the past. “I mean obviously the fact that he (Carragher) had a right go at him at the start of last season. He fronted up to it. He’s got a massive personality on the pitch.

“I think when United have got him in the team they are more aggressive, he wants to win, that sort of Argentinian fight and spirit is just there right the way through and the fact that he speaks with the level of belief and authority will give his teammates comfort.”