Michael Carrick has refused to be drawn on Lisandro Martinez's explosive criticism of Manchester United's hierarchy following the defeat to Atletico Madrid, saying he needs to find out more before deciding how to handle the situation.
Martinez used a post-match interview with Amazon Prime to criticise director of football Jason Wilcox, accusing the club of a lack of investment in the summer transfer window.
Martinez points finger at Wilcox
United have won just two of nine games in all competitions this season, but Martinez said it was wrong to blame Carrick, insisting the 45-year-old had not received the backing he deserved during the summer.
Wilcox and chief executive Omar Berrada spent £155million on first-team players in the window, with goalkeeper Karl Darlow and midfielders Andrey Santos, Carlos Baleba and Youri Tielemans arriving. Martinez argued that was not enough to build on last season's success and said questions should be asked of Wilcox and those in charge of strategy rather than Carrick.
Carrick: I haven't seen the interview
Asked if he would speak to Martinez about the comments, Carrick said: "I need to find out a bit more about it before I can say if and what is going to be done. I really can't comment any further because I haven't seen it."
Carrick was also asked whether he agreed that he had not been given enough backing, but he declined to offer a view, though he appeared keen to draw a line under the episode quickly. "I haven't seen the interview; I've heard about it as the interview was done, but I think it's a little bit on the emotions of the game as well," he said. "Coming here and being disappointed not to get something from the game. Straight after a game for me isn't the time to talk about that interview because I haven't seen it, so I can't really comment on that."
Focus on Sunday's big game
Carrick stressed the importance of moving forward quickly, pointing to a big game on Sunday. "I think it's important for us to move forward quickly, really. There is a big game on Sunday, and it's really important that we move forward and we stay focused on that. There's disappointment within the group. I'm very disappointed in certain things, and the boys are as well."
Carrick said his players were "hurting" after the start to the season but praised their effort and commitment. "I don't doubt the togetherness or the wanting to win or the willingness to do things to win. I really don't doubt that," he said. "I know results-wise, it's easy to look and think there's something kind of deeply wrong because we haven't won enough games, so I understand that."
"But the players have been great, I have to say. Great not in a nice way, but they want to push, they're willing, they're very disappointed that they haven't come out tonight with something from the game, because we were desperate and we feel actually we could have, and maybe should have."
