Michael Carrick has offered a blunt response to Gary Neville's accusation that some Manchester United players are unprofessional, insisting he has not witnessed any such behaviour since returning to the club in January.
Speaking after United's 3-0 home defeat to Bournemouth last Sunday, Neville claimed that 'a few' members of Carrick's squad are not conducting themselves properly in their personal lives.
Neville's Damning Accusation
Neville, a former United captain and Carrick's ex-team-mate, fumed on his Sky Sports podcast: "There's a few of them that aren't that professional. There's a couple of them. I live in Manchester, they're not that professional some of them. I've got no time for them. Do you know what I mean?"
He continued: "There are a few of them that don't go to bed at the right time. Don't eat the right things. Don't think about Manchester United every single minute of every single day. They are not living and breathing this football club, as they should be, like professionals should. And why? Because it's gone to their heads. But they still walk around like they're King William. They're not; they're nothing."
Neville added: "Some of those players, I can't believe the... lack of standards. There was a banner in the first half that was held up in the Stretford End - 'standards.' They went a long time ago."
Carrick's Response
Neville's comments were put to Carrick in his press conference before United's game away to Chelsea on Saturday, as his side look to end their eight-game winless streak. Asked if he had encountered any unprofessional behaviour since his return, Carrick replied: "No, I haven't, no."
When asked whether he was surprised that Neville had made such a public accusation, Carrick said: "Gaz says a lot of things."
Pressure on Carrick
The 45-year-old is fighting to keep his job after being given a stay of execution by the Old Trafford hierarchy. Carrick has guided United to just two wins in 12 games this season, form that has seen them dumped out of the Carabao Cup, lose two of their opening three Champions League matches and put them 16th in the Premier League table.
Carrick, however, maintains that he can turn United's woes around and reckons his players' confidence can be retrieved. "Just because you lose a game or you have a bad day, that doesn't mean it's the end of a player's career or an end of a team's road or whatever that may be," he added. "It's always what's next and you can always make a difference."
