Manchester United have moved on from Martinez’s outburst, claims Michael Carrick

Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick insisted Lisandro Martinez’s public spat with the club’s hierarchy had not affected the dressing room, playing down the defender’s failure to apologize directly to director of football Jason Wilcox.

Martinez drew attention after Manchester United’s 2-0 Champions League defeat to Atlético Madrid, when he took aim at the management of the club. The Argentine later apologized for the timing of his comments, but did not retract his criticism or name Wilcox in his statement.

The episode prompted a strong reaction from former United players, with Wayne Rooney warning that such comments could cause division in the dressing room. Roy Keane and Gary Neville were also involved in the controversy.

However, Carrick rejected suggestions that the incident had unsettled the squad and said the mood around the squad remained positive despite criticism from outside the club.

“Just because people are talking on the outside doesn’t mean it’s true. I’m telling you the truth. The team was in a fantastic place today, better than I’ve seen them in a while,” Carrick said in his pre-match press conference at Carrington.

The United boss acknowledged that players could sometimes let their emotions get the better of them, especially when they cared deeply about the club. However, he insisted that Martinez’s remarks did not undermine the team’s spirit.

“Sometimes someone says something that maybe you shouldn’t say at the time, but that doesn’t take us away from what we’re creating here and the atmosphere and spirit in the group,” he added.

Carrick also confirmed Martinez will be available for Sunday’s Premier League trip to Leeds, suggesting the defender remained part of his plans despite the controversy.

CARRICK WANTS MAN UTD TO COVER

When asked if Martinez should have named Wilcox in his statement, Carrick made it clear that he did not see the matter as worth prolonging.

“He’s released his statement, he’s realized he made a mistake, and I think that’s enough for all of us to move on,” he said.

Wilcox has been in the spotlight before. He became United’s director of football following the departure of Dan Ashworth in December 2024 and was also criticized by former manager Ruben Amorim during the Portuguese coach’s final press conference before his sacking in January.

The 55-year-old rarely spoke publicly about the club’s internal affairs. Carrick was asked if Wilcox should handle the latest controversy himself, but declined to offer a view on what his colleague should do.

“I don’t think it’s for me to say if he should or not,” Carrick said, adding that he was comfortable speaking to the media and taking responsibility for the team.

“I have no problem sitting here, talking to you and leading a group, leading a team, leading a football club from this position. We’re all in this together.”

Rather than dwell on the disagreement, Carrick wants United to channel their emotions into their performances on the pitch. The former midfielder said passion and intensity remained important as long as the players expressed them in a way that enhanced the collective effort.

“We’re asking for passion, we’re asking for emotion, we’re asking for fire and we’re asking the players to care. There’s a way to do it and that’s already been confirmed,” he said.

“But we’ve got to carry that intensity, that willingness and that togetherness and that spirit and everything else that you can bring with it. As a group, we’ve got to use it and we’ve got to use it the right way.”

– The end