Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick says he is "telling the truth" when he says the club have moved on from Lisandro Martinez's explosive post-match comments this week. Carrick's close friend and team-mate Wayne Rooney led the condemnation of Martinez, saying the Argentine defender could "rip the dressing room apart" with his attack on United's hierarchy after the 2-0 Champions League defeat by Atletico Madrid. Martinez has apologised for the timing of his comments, which turned the spotlight on director of football Jason Wilcox, but not for the words themselves.
"There's a lot of people who say a lot of things - ex-pros or not ex-pros - it doesn't necessarily mean they understand what is going on here," said Carrick at his pre-match press conference at Carrington. "I am telling you the truth. The squad today was in a fantastic place, better than I have seen it for a while." Carrick confirmed Martinez would be part of the squad for Sunday's Premier League trip to Leeds at Elland Road (14:00 BST).
Martinez singled out the technical director for criticism in Madrid but did not name Wilcox in his statement. Wilcox, who was made director of football after Dan Ashworth's sacking in December 2024, was part of the discussions that led to Martinez's latest statement. He has been targeted by Ruben Amorim as well, and has spoken publicly only once in the past year. Carrick said it was not for him to say whether Wilcox should explain his actions to the media, adding that Martinez "has realised he's made a mistake, and I think that's enough for all of us to move on with."
The negative headlines are the last thing Carrick needed. His side travel to Leeds on the back of a five-match winless run, and United have not gone six games without a win since the end of the 2018-19 campaign. Carrick insisted the pressure on his own future was not his focus. "I don't need results," he said. "We all need results. It's not about me. Manchester United is a lot bigger than any individual."
Source: BBC Sport Football · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing