Tottenham midfielder Joao Palhinha has hit back at scathing criticism from Jamie Carragher and branded TV punditry 'embarrassing'.
Carragher claimed Palhinha, on loan from Bayern Munich, lacked the quality required to play in midfield for a top team in the Premier League after Spurs were beaten at home by Chelsea.
'I saw it because some people sent it to me, I can't say I didn't see it,' said Palhinha, before recalling how his Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo had also been a target for Carragher during his time at Manchester United.
'I don't care what the people say. If he speaks bad things about Ronaldo, he can speak about everyone. Some people need to speak about another to be on the screens on the TV. My life is not about that, definitely.
'It makes it a bit embarrassing seeing sometimes the ex-players speaking that way. They speak and they look sometimes like superstars on their past, I don't have problems to say.
'I think he should have seen probably more games of me at Tottenham. I think I am doing a top season.'
Carragher savaged Palhinha as he tore apart Tottenham's performance Chelsea this month. 'Palhinha hasn't got the quality,' said the former Liverpool and England defender.
'For a player playing for Tottenham in central midfield, for me, that's a pass you have to be able to make. He can't make it.'
Later in his Sky Sports analysis, Carragher added: 'Palhinha is on the ball, five touches because he hasn't got the confidence or the ability.
'What you've got is you've got a lack of courage and confidence from certain players, but you've also got a lack of ability of certain players.'
Palhinha, 30, made his name in the Premier League with two outstanding years at Fulham, which earned him attention from some of Europe's biggest clubs and, in the summer of 2024, a move to Bayern in a deal worth up to £47million.
His year in Munich was disrupted by injury and Spurs won a scramble to sign him on loan as Thomas Frank sought to strengthen his midfield.
Palhinha has appeared in all 18 games under Frank and scored four, including one goal in a victory at Manchester City and a late equaliser to rescue a point against Wolves although not enough to satisfy Carragher.
'I don't care too much because we have a lot of birds speaking all the time about us and trying to drop us,' said Palhinha. 'But he's not going to be the first and he's not going to be the last.
'It is about how we react. And the way I reacted was scoring a goal after he said this to me, against Copenhagen. I just want to keep doing my job and show what I am capable to do because I am really proud what I have been doing until now.'
Spurs are at Arsenal in what will be a first North London derby for Frank and Palhinha. 'We are really motivated and have everything to reach a good result,' said Palhinha.