Paul Scholes has clarified comments he made about Manchester United interim head coach Michael Carrick following criticism from former teammates. The 51-year-old former midfielder posted on Instagram after United's 2-1 defeat by Newcastle, writing that Carrick had 'something special' because United had been 'expletive' in their previous four games.

Scholes, who played alongside Carrick for seven years at United, faced backlash for the remarks, with Patrice Evra suggesting he had been hacked. Speaking on the The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast, Scholes explained he had messaged Carrick directly to explain his intentions. 'It was in no way intended to be offensive towards Michael,' he said, describing Carrick as 'one of the nicest people you will ever meet in football.'

Scholes elaborated that his comments were about United's performances rather than Carrick's abilities, noting the team had been 'lucky' in recent games. Former teammate Wes Brown said he understood both interpretations of the post, while Scholes emphasized he was highlighting Carrick's talent in getting results despite subpar performances. The comments come as Carrick continues to lead United, who are currently third in the league and in a strong position for Champions League qualification.