Lisandro Martinez has urged Manchester United to remain "calm and humble" heading into Sunday's derby against Manchester City, despite the club's 4-0 rout of FK Sabah in the Champions League.
Martinez himself got on the scoresheet, bundling in United's fourth goal in front of the Stretford End at Old Trafford on Thursday night against the Azerbaijani side.
"When you win, your confidence is going up, you know, but now we have to be calm, we have to be humble," Martinez said. "Then tomorrow we have to think about the derby that is really important for us."
Martinez, a World Cup winner with Argentina, is one of the more experienced heads in a Manchester United squad that Michael Carrick's coaching staff have been building around a core of younger players.
Martinez plays down title talk
The Argentine centre back was quick to dampen suggestions that United's form in Europe means the club can now be considered contenders for major honours this season.
"It's too early to say that," Martinez said. "We just have to be ready every game, we have to be humble, have to enjoy, have to fight every game, and we know what we want, but I can't tell you [if we will challenge at the top this season]."
First clean sheet of the season
Thursday's win was notable at United not only for the four goals but also for the clean sheet, the club's first of the season after conceding twice in each of their previous matches against Hull City, Ipswich Town and Everton.
Martinez admitted the defensive lapses, which were badly exposed at Hull City and again late on against Everton, have frustrated the squad.
"It will always be a responsibility for us [to keep clean sheets] but I think against Everton, I think we played to take the clean sheet and then we conceded the goals, that's what annoys us," he said. "It's really bad, for sure, because we want to be there, and if we want to compete, we have to keep the clean sheet because it's very important. Today we did it and we have to build on that."
Focus turns to the derby
With the Sabah result already behind him, Martinez said his attention had shifted fully to Sunday's meeting with Manchester City at Old Trafford.
"Yeah, but that is the past. It's the past, you know, it's gone and now we have to, I have to be ready for this game because it's going to be so different than the last one," he said.
