Carrick shrugs off Martínez's Wilcox snub as United boss claims unity

Michael Carrick has breezily dismissed the fallout from Lisandro Martínez's public criticism of Manchester United's hierarchy, insisting the defender's apology is sufficient for the club to move on even though it pointedly stopped short of saying sorry to the man he targeted.

Martínez's outburst and half-apology

Martínez aimed his comments directly at Jason Wilcox, United's director of football, after Tuesday's 2-0 Champions League defeat at Atlético Madrid. "I expect more from our technical director," the Argentina centre-back said in the immediate aftermath of the loss.

On Thursday, Martínez issued a statement that acknowledged poor judgment without withdrawing the substance of his complaint — namely that the squad needs greater investment. "The frustration of the defeat led me to express how I felt at a time and place that perhaps were not the right ones, and for that I want to apologise," he said.

Crucially, the apology made no mention of Wilcox and did not retract the demand for more recruitment.

Carrick: 'Enough to move on'

Carrick was asked whether he respected Martínez for declining to apologise personally to Wilcox. "He's released his statement, he's realised he's made a mistake and that's enough for all of us to move on with," the United manager said.

Pressed on whether it would have been preferable for Martínez to have said sorry to Wilcox and for his wider remarks about investment — rather than merely the timing and location of his interview — Carrick was unmoved. "From our point of view, the acknowledgment of what's been done has certainly been enough, we've moved on and we're definitely not looking back at it now," he replied.

Rooney's warning vs Carrick's unity claim

Wayne Rooney, United's record goalscorer, claimed Martínez's comments "will rip the dressing room apart". It was put to Carrick that the episode might instead have a unifying effect. "There's a lot of things that can affect the group in all sorts of different ways," he said, before pointing to United's response after conceding inside a minute at Atlético. "It's one of the toughest places to play in the Champions League, so to go a goal down so early, and the way we responded shows an underlying belief and spirit and a togetherness."

Carrick indicated that the week's events — on and off the pitch — had pulled the squad closer. "Certain situations can galvanise the group, and it's certainly galvanised the group as this week's progressed. The boys are in a really good place right now."

Asked why anyone outside the club, including former players such as Rooney who have criticised Martínez, should believe there is genuine unity, Carrick was blunt. "There's a lot of people that say a lot of things, and ex-pros or not ex-pros, it doesn't necessarily mean you understand what's going on here," he said. "I'm telling you the truth. The squad today [Friday] was in a fantastic place, better than I've seen it for a while."

Pressure mounts amid bleak form

Carrick was asked whether Martínez's intervention was an unwanted distraction that had annoyed him. "No, I understand emotion at times," he said. "We ask for passion, we ask for emotion, we ask for fire and we ask for players to care. There's a way of doing that, and that's already been acknowledged, but we need to carry that intensity and that willingness and that togetherness and that spirit. As a group, we need to use it, and we've got to use it in the right way."

United travel to Leeds on Sunday having taken just six points from their opening six league games. They were knocked out of the Carabao Cup by Brighton last month and have recorded one win and one defeat in the Champions League, form that has intensified the scrutiny on Carrick.

Martínez is available for selection at Elland Road. Carrick added that Luke Shaw and Kobbie Mainoo face fitness tests before the squad is finalised.