Former Watford forward Troy Deeney has given a split take on Lisandro Martinez’s comments about Jason Wilcox following Manchester United’s defeat to Atletico Madrid earlier this week.

Martinez directly called out United’s director of football after the 2-0 defeat to Atletico at the Wanda Metropolitano, causing a huge stir before later issuing two statements explaining the reasons for his comments.

In his first statement, released on October 14, Martinez explained how he’d “spoken out in anger and frustration at not getting the result” the team wanted before adding: “My words reflect how I feel and how much I want to see this club competing for the biggest honours. Those high standards are part of how I see football and the responsibility that comes with wearing this shirt.

“When I talk about wanting more, I’m talking about the ambition we must all have as part of this club. To keep growing, to become stronger and to have everything we need to compete at the highest level. These are standards we must all hold ourselves to, starting with me.”

Lisandro Martinez fined for Jason Wilcox rant

Martinez has been fined and forced to issue a public apology, with the Argentinian later issuing a further statement on October 15 that read: “Today I met with the club’s leadership and the manager.

“It was a very positive conversation, where we were able to exchange views and speak openly about what happened after Tuesday’s game.

“Everyone knows that I am a passionate person and that I live football with great intensity.

“The frustration of the defeat led me to express how I felt at a time and place that perhaps were not the right ones, and for that I want to apologise.”

Troy Deeney slams ‘muppet’ Martinez for apology

And despite many moving on from the drama, outspoken former Watford forward-turned-pundit Deeney has accused Martinez of ‘s****** the bed’ and backtracking on his comments while also saying how he “loved” the South American’s honesty.

After explaining how issuing the apology made him “lose a load of respect” for the defender, Deeney told The Sun: “If you truly mean it, then b*******s. You are not getting me to apologise.

“In my opinion — and I’m not privy to the Manchester United way of doing things — he has been told two things can happen.

“They are likely to have said: ‘You’re going to take the fine and apologise — or you are not involved at the weekend.’

“And he s*** the bed. So what he said on Tuesday is irrelevant now. If you are going to draw that line in the sand, then draw it really deep.

“This all just makes him look like a muppet.

“I thought he was an overrated player anyway. They talk about him being this bull because he competes. But isn’t that what we are supposed to do?

“And my six-year-old competes; I don’t call him a bull. I say, ‘Well done, but you’ve got to be better to be a professional’.

“What this has shown is that you can say you care so much about the team and getting better — but it actually just shows you care more about your money.”

United return to action away against Leeds United on Sunday (October 18) and are in search of just their second Premier League win of the campaign.

Head coach Michael Carrick has confirmed Martinez will be in the squad for the trip to Elland Road despite his recent comments.

“He’s released his statement and realised he made a mistake,” Carrick said in a press conference on Friday (October 16).

“That’s enough for us to move on with. From our point of view, the acknowledgement of what’s been done is enough to move on.”