Manchester United manager Michael Carrick has insisted there are no divisions within the dressing room after Lisandro Martínez criticised the strength of the squad following the 2-0 defeat to Atlético Madrid on Tuesday.
Martínez has since apologised for his barbed comments aimed at director of football Jason Wilcox. The Argentina defender had also suggested the squad was not good enough to compete in the Champions League. The outburst prompted Wayne Rooney to say the post-match interview could rip the dressing room apart.
Carrick, speaking at a news conference on Friday, dismissed concerns of a rift among the players. "It's done really," he said. "We've moved on from that. It's really not a drama for us as a group. They were in really good spirits and trained really well." He added that the squad was in a fantastic place, better than he had seen it for a while, and that people outside the club did not necessarily understand what was happening within it.
United head to Leeds United on Sunday on a run of five games without a win, which has put pressure on Carrick. The 45-year-old suggested the eventful week could bring the players closer together. "Certain situations can galvanise the group, and it's certainly galvanised the group as this week's progressed," he said. Carrick also stressed that the club was bigger than any individual, adding that whatever is best for the football club on Sunday is what matters most.
Source: ESPN Soccer · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing