'It's criminal': Scholes blasts Lisandro Martinez for blocking De Gea's view

Paul Scholes has blamed Manchester United centre-back Lisandro Martinez for blocking David de Gea's view in the build-up to Liverpool's first-goal on Sunday as Cody Gakpo found the back of the net with a brilliant strike.

Liverpool scored just one goal in the first period of play before going on to bag six in the second-half as Jurgen Klopp's side recorded their biggest-ever scoreline win over their long-term rivals.

Former Man United multiple title-winning midfielder Paul Scholes labelled the Argentinian's defending in the build-up to the game's first of seven goals as 'criminal' after Gakpo latched onto a perfectly-weighted pass from Andy Robertson before finishing powerfully into the bottom corner.

Martinez has been one of the Premier League's best defenders this season but along with his other United team-mates was humiliated at Anfield, with Scholes insisting the defender's positioning as Gakpo struck the ball was all wrong.

The 25-year-old had run across his six-yard line to try and block Gakpo's shot but in doing so blocked De Gea's view of the ball. Something that Scholes believes would have angered the club's number one.

‘I certainly don’t think it helps De Gea,’ said Scholes at half-time as per the Metro.

‘I don’t think he’s quite in line at the point it’s kicked but David can also think the ball might hit him.

‘But when he [Gakpo] does hit it, he has gone right past him.

‘You see David’s reaction there towards Martinez, he doesn’t quite have a go at him, but I think he should do.

‘I think it happened a couple of times, once before with Robertson where he ended up clearing it off the line, he’s going far too deep, he should be getting up the pitch, can he stop the shot or have an effect on the shot rather than get in the keeper’s way.

‘He needs to trust his goalkeeper. This is a top goalkeeper we’re talking about, do not get in his way. If anybody gets in the goalkeeper’s way it’s criminal.’

Scholes was clearly unhappy with the performance he had seen from his former side as Liverpool outclassed a United team who looked as if the horrors of last season were plaguing them again.

Red Devils boss Erik ten Hag slammed his players for being unprofessional as they became unhinged against their fierce rivals and made it an embarrassing afternoon to forget for United supporters.

The Dutchman will attempt to recoup some of the clamour that he has built this season and will be hoping that Sunday's thrashing was merely a temporary derailment when Real Betis visit Old Trafford in a Europa League round of 16 tie on Thursday.