LONDON: Michael Carrick said Friday that Manchester United had “moved on” from Lisandro Martinez’s outburst against the club’s hierarchy, insisting it was “really not a drama for us as a group”.
Argentina defender Martinez criticised United’s hierarchy following their 2-0 Champions League defeat by Atletico Madrid on Tuesday, saying Carrick had been left with an under-strength squad.
The centre-back took aim at technical director Jason Wilcox, saying he had “100 percent” expected more investment during the summer transfer window after United finished third in the Premier League last season.
Martinez, who apologised on Thursday, is understood to have been fined for his outburst.
United manager Carrick confirmed at a pre-match press conference on Friday that Martinez would be in the squad for Sunday’s Premier League match against bitter rivals Leeds.
Carrick, under intense pressure after a poor start to the season, was asked about Martinez’s comments and the developments that followed.
“We’ve moved on from that, it was one of those things,” he said. “I think Licha (Martinez) has come out and acknowledged the situation and as a group we’ve moved on.
“It’s really not a drama for us as a group. I think the boys have trained really well. This morning there was a really good feeling around the squad.”
Martinez, 28, said in a statement that he had held positive talks with the club’s hierarchy and Carrick.
“Everyone knows that I am a passionate person and that I live football with great intensity,” he said in a post on Instagram.
“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.”
– ‘Emotion’ –
Former United captain Roy Keane has described the situation at his former club as “a bit of a circus”.
Carrick was pressed by reporters on the nature of Martinez’s apology, which did not mention Wilcox by name.
“I think he (Martinez) has released his statement and he’s realised he’s made a mistake,” the United boss said. “I think that’s enough for all of us to move on with.”
He added: “I understand the emotion at times. 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. We need to carry that intensity and that willingness and that togetherness and that spirit and everything.”
United have made their worst start to a league season in 40 years.
They are 13th in the Premier League, with just one win from six matches, but Carrick, a former United and England midfielder, deflected a question about the pressure on him personally.
“I don’t need results, we all need results,” he said. “It’s not about me. Manchester United is a lot bigger than any individual, bigger than me.
“Bigger than any player, anyone else who works at this football club. It always has been, and it’s not about me.”