MANCHESTER — Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick has downplayed speculation of a disagreement with former teammate Paul Scholes following a controversial social media post after the team’s 2-1 loss to Newcastle.
Following the defeat at St James’ Park, Scholes expressed that “Michael has definitely got something special about him… because United have been c*** the last four games,” later clarifying that he did “not intend to be offensive” with his comment.
In reaction to Scholes’ post, which has since been removed, another ex-United player, Patrice Evra, joked that he hoped Scholes “was hacked.”
After facing backlash, Scholes reached out to Carrick to discuss the matter.
When asked about the conversation with Scholes, Carrick stated that the matter was already behind them.
“It was nothing really, there’s not much to say about it,” Carrick remarked during a Friday news conference. “That’s just the nature of social media and how things can be perceived in different ways.
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“We should just approach it calmly and try to understand the intent behind the words. Different people will have different opinions, and that’s perfectly fine. However, things can sometimes escalate unnecessarily. I don’t see it as a big issue.”
Carrick is now focusing on preparing his squad for the upcoming match against Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Sunday.
However, he will be without defenders Matthijs de Ligt and Lisandro Martínez for this match, though Mason Mount has returned to training and may make his comeback.
“Mason is back with the group, which is great news,” Carrick commented. “He is a key player for us, and having him back involved is a positive step. While he’s not fully fit yet since he’s only recently returned to training, his presence is beneficial. We’ll assess his involvement for Sunday, but it’s encouraging to have him back for the team.”