Article continues below ADVERTISEMENTDuring their podcast, the duo questioned whether the ex-Ajax defender possessed the physical attributes to cope with City's towering striker, Erling Haaland, given the considerable height disparity between the pair. Article continues below ADVERTISEMENTIn a post-match interview with Sky Sports, Martinez discussed Carrick's pre-match preparations and shared the 44-year-old's words from the dressing room before proceedings commenced. Article continues below ADVERTISEMENTHe explained: "One important thing Michael Carrick said was: use the energy of the people. "We know how we've suffered during the season but the only way is showing face and showing who we are." Rather than discussing his own individual performance, Martinez chose to praise his teammates for their unity and the headline-grabbing performance they delivered.

Source: Express January 17, 2026 18:19 UTC