Michael Carrick has moved to dispel any suggestion of a falling-out with Paul Scholes, insisting he was not offended by a barbed social media post from his former midfield partner and urging context in an era of snap-reaction digital commentary, as Manchester United prepare to host Aston Villa in a pivotal Premier League clash this Sunday afternoon.
Carrick told reporters at his pre-match press conference on Friday that the episode did not unsettle him, saying there was nothing to say about it and that social media had a way of pulling comments to extremes. He acknowledged that reasonable people hold different views on football and said he was not worried by the noise.
The row originated in the immediate aftermath of United’s 2-1 defeat at St James’ Park on March 4, when substitute William Osula struck in stoppage time to hand 10-man Newcastle a stunning victory and inflict Carrick’s first loss since taking over from the sacked Ruben Amorim in mid-January. Scholes posted an Instagram story the same night reading that Carrick had “definitely got something about him” because United had been poor across their last four games, a comment that was quickly deleted but not before it had spread widely online.
Scholes Reaches Out, Evra Hits Back
Scholes addressed the post on the latest episode of The Good, The Bad and The Football podcast, insisting he had messaged Carrick directly after the reaction intensified and that his former teammate confirmed he had not taken offence. Scholes said the only point he intended to make was that United had not performed well in their last four matches yet Carrick had kept finding results, which he framed as evidence that fortune had played a role in the unbeaten run.
The post drew a notably sharp response from former United and France defender Patrice Evra, who said he hoped Scholes had been hacked, placing him alongside Roy Keane and Gary Neville as veterans who had been quick to voice doubts about Carrick’s credentials despite the team’s dramatic improvement.
Speaking on the same podcast episode, former defender Wes Brown said he could see it both ways, acknowledging that once Scholes explained his thinking, the intent made sense, but that the post as written read as a personal dig at the interim boss.
Form That Demands Respect
The criticism arrives at an uncomfortable moment for United’s doubters. Since Carrick took charge in January, United have become the Premier League’s most in-form side, accumulating 19 points from their last eight matches and climbing to third place in the table, within striking distance of a return to the UEFA Champions League. United owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has publicly praised Carrick’s work, though the club has stopped short of confirming whether he will be retained beyond the current season.
Carrick also confirmed that midfielder Mason Mount, absent for two months with a back injury, had returned to training and could feature against Villa, describing it as a big step for an important player.
Villa arrive at Old Trafford themselves looking to bounce back, having lost to Chelsea last weekend. Both clubs sit in the top four and Sunday’s match carries significant weight in the race for Champions League qualification.
