Carrick insists he is telling the truth amid Martinez controversy
Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick said he is “telling the truth” when he insists the club has moved on from Lisandro Martinez’s explosive post‑match comments this week. Carrick’s close friend and former teammate Wayne Rooney led the criticism, saying the Argentine defender could “rip the dressing room apart” with his attack on United’s hierarchy after the 2‑0 Champions League defeat by Atletico Madrid. Former captains Roy Keane and Gary Neville also weighed in, adding to a large amount of analysis.
Martinez has apologised for the timing of his remarks, which put director of football Jason Wilcox in the spotlight, but he has not apologised for the words themselves. Speaking at his pre‑match media conference at United’s Carrington training ground, Carrick said, “There’s a lot of people who say a lot of things - ex-pros or not ex-pros - it doesn’t necessarily mean they understand what is going on here. Just because people talk on the outside doesn’t mean that is the truth. I am telling you the truth. The squad today was in a fantastic place, better than I have seen it for a while. That is it, plain and simple. We are living it every day and know what it feels like. We are emotional and care a lot. Sometimes someone says something that maybe you shouldn’t say at that certain time, but it doesn’t distract us from what we are creating here and the environment and spirit within the group. It [the squad] is not affected, I am telling you.”
Carrick confirmed Martinez will be “part of the squad” for Sunday’s Premier League trip to Leeds at Elland Road, kickoff at 14:00 BST.
When asked whether Wilcox should explain his actions to the media, Carrick replied, “I don’t think it’s for me to say whether he should or not. I’ve got no problem sitting here, talking to you guys and leading the group, leading the team, leading the football club from this position. We’re all in it together.” He added that Martinez’s failure to mention Wilcox by name in his statement is not an issue. “He’s released his statement, he’s realised he’s made a mistake, and I think that’s enough for all of us to move on with,” Carrick 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, that willingness, togetherness and spirit and everything else you can bring with that. As a group, we need to use it, and we’ve got to use it in the right way.”
Carrick also addressed the pressure ahead of the Leeds game, noting United’s five‑match winless run. The club has not gone six games without a victory since the end of the 2018‑19 season, shortly after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was confirmed as permanent manager. Carrick knows ending that streak would ease pressure on his future, but he said, “I don’t need results. We all need results. It’s not about me. Manchester United is a lot bigger than any individual. It is bigger than me, bigger than any player, or anyone else who works at this football club. It always has been. I don’t go into every day at work in this situation, ahead of this game, thinking it’s about me. It’s really not. It’s about the football club; what we stand for, what we live for, the history, the things that we need to live up to. That’s what drives us.”
Regarding injuries, Carrick said Benjamin Sesko is still undergoing checks and a return timeline has not been set. “Ben’s kind of still undergoing a couple of checks before we update on timelines,” he said. “We’re just trying to be clear with what that looks like but he’s still a little bit further away.” Sesko, a £74 million signing from RB Leipzig in August 2025, has yet to start a Premier League game this season after a recurrence of the shin injury that limited his 2025‑26 campaign. Luke Shaw also missed the Atletico Madrid match through injury, with Ayden Heaven playing left‑back in his place. Carrick said he could not give a timescale for Sesko’s return for the third consecutive pre‑match press conference.