MANCHESTER, England -- Michael Carrick walked into the media room at Manchester United's Carrington training ground Friday like a man on a mission.
Knowing that he would face questions about defender Lisandro Martínez's explosive interview in the wake of the 2-0 UEFA Champions League defeat to Atlético Madrid, the head coach came prepared with a rebuttal.
After Martínez took aim at director of football Jason Wilcox, the strength of the squad and, by extension, some of his teammates Tuesday, Carrick set about painting a picture of unity.
"We've moved on," he said. "This morning there was a really good feeling around the squad. ... I have to say, they were in really good spirits and trained really well, so we've moved on pretty quickly.
"Sometimes someone says something that's a little bit, maybe shouldn't say it at a certain time, but that doesn't distract us from what we're creating here and the environment and the spirit within the group. It's not affected."
Carrick dismissed a suggestion from former teammate Wayne Rooney that Martínez's comments could "rip the dressing room apart" and tried to flip the script by saying the controversy could "galvanize" the group. Only time will tell if that's the case -- starting with the trip to Leeds United on Sunday.
Martínez is available to play at Elland Road after talks with Carrick, Wilcox and CEO Omar Berrada on Thursday resulted in an apology, a fine and nothing more. The club has been keen to move on as quickly as possible, but the episode will only fuel a feeling of restlessness behind the scenes amid a difficult start to the campaign.
United bosses, according to ESPN sources, are more concerned that Martínez chose to air his criticism so publicly rather than the actual content of the interview. There's an acceptance internally that the squad has its weaknesses, particularly at left back. In that sense, there is broad agreement when Martínez said the current group is not "ready for this kind of night" -- a reference to the challenge of facing an Atlético Madrid team that reached the semifinals of the Champions League last season.
A key frustration for the club's executive branch is that it believes it has created an atmosphere in which these conversations can be had face-to-face. The £50 million revamp of Carrington, completed in August 2025, has seen Wilcox and Berrada spend more time at the training ground.
In the past, United's executives would work from offices in the east stand at Old Trafford, keeping their distance from the players and football staff. The idea behind the new, more integrated Carrington was that it would allow for better communication between departments. One source said that Martínez deciding to go public was a "bizarre approach."
Carrick will be particularly disappointed that Martínez chose to go public. The United head coach has done his best to protect his players at every turn this season, even in the face of intense criticism. He replied sharply to a reporter after the defeat to Hull City on the opening weekend, saying it was "ridiculous" to suggest his team had lost because the players lacked passion.
After Martínez was at fault for Tottenham Hotspur's equalizer in their 1-1 draw this past Saturday, Carrick was asked whether he felt let down by the players.
"No, I don't feel let down," he said. "You can make mistakes, things go against you. I don't feel let down by them for making a mistake. We've just got to all help each other be better, and it's on me to help them and guide them through it."
With questions mounting about his suitability for the job, the last thing Carrick needs is another controversy. Some club sources believe Martínez's public outburst was designed to take the heat off Carrick by highlighting other factors behind the poor start to the season. Others said Martínez was just emotional after another bad result.
Sources tell ESPN that Carrick has his own frustrations about the strength of the squad, but has chosen to bat away questions in interviews and news conferences because he thinks it's better to present a united front.
He's also well aware of United's financial position. With more than £1 billion of debt weighing the club down, United don't have the same financial muscle they did in the past. The blame for that lies squarely with the Glazers leaving Wilcox and Berrada to make do with the money they've got.
Sources told ESPN that the original summer budget was around £120 million. Wilcox and Berrada petitioned for more leeway and eventually signed Carlos Baleba, Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans for £155 million. Still, the spending was nowhere near the level of rivals Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham.
Extra funds would have been available if Barcelona had triggered their option to make Marcus Rashford's move permanent -- something that was considered a done deal midway through last season.
Sources told ESPN that United's budget restrictions are no secret, and that if Martínez wanted specific answers he could have asked Carrick or Wilcox privately.
Multiple sources suggested Martínez's comments were directed at Wilcox because there have been no significant talks over a new deal. The 28-year-old is under contract until 2027, with the club holding an option to extend for another year. His future at Old Trafford is set to be looked at more seriously in January.
For now, Carrick needs Martínez and the rest of the squad pulling in the same direction. Leeds are unbeaten at home since March, and United are on a run of five games without a win.
After another difficult week, Carrick insists everyone is on the same page. His team can prove it with a much-needed win at Elland Road.
