Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick has dismissed suggestions of a rift with former teammate Paul Scholes following a controversial social media post after United's 2-1 defeat to Newcastle. Scholes later clarified he 'in no way intended to be offensive' after posting that Carrick 'has definitely got something special about him... cos United have been c*** last four games.'

The post sparked reactions from former United players, with Patrice Evra suggesting Scholes might have been hacked. Scholes subsequently contacted Carrick to discuss the matter directly. Asked about their conversation at Friday's news conference, Carrick downplayed the incident entirely, saying it had already been forgotten and emphasizing the need to 'be calm about it and understand the real meaning of things.'

Carrick is now preparing his team for Sunday's match against Aston Villa at Old Trafford. He confirmed that defenders Matthijs de Ligt and Lisandro Martínez remain unavailable, though Mason Mount could make his comeback after returning to training. 'Mason is back with the group, which is fantastic,' Carrick said, noting Mount isn't yet at 100% but represents a significant boost for the squad.