This combo image shows Manchester United’s Argentine defender Lisandro Martinez, and the club’s English head coach Michael Carrick. (Photo by FILE/Oscar DEL POZO / AFP)
Michael Carrick said that Manchester United had “moved on” from Lisandro Martinez’s outburst aimed at the club’s hierarchy, stressing it was “really not a drama for us as a group”.
Argentina defender Martinez criticised the United hierarchy following their 2-0 Champions League loss to Atletico Madrid on Tuesday, saying Carrick had been left with an under-strength squad.
The centre-back criticised 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.
It is understood Martinez, who issued an apology on Thursday, has been fined for his outburst.
United manager Carrick confirmed during a pre-match press conference on Friday that Martinez would be in his squad for their Premier League match at bitter rivals Leeds on Sunday.
Carrick, under intense pressure after a terrible start to the season, was asked by reporters about Martinez’s comments and subsequent developments.
“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 he had held positive talks with the club’s leadership 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 branded the situation at his former club “a bit of a circus”.
Carrick was pressed by reporters on the nature of the apology from Martinez, which did not mention Wilcox by name.
“I think he (Martinez) has released his statement and he’s realised he’s made a mistake,” said the United boss. “I think that’s enough for all of us to move on with.”
“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. We need to carry that intensity and that willingness and that togetherness and that spirit and everything,” he added.
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.”
