Patrice Evra Condemns Former Teammates for Negative Punditry
Patrice Evra has launched a scathing verbal assault on his former Manchester United teammates Paul Scholes and Gary Neville, accusing them of delivering unnecessary and overly critical commentary about interim manager Michael Carrick. The controversy erupted following Manchester United's unexpected 2-1 defeat against a ten-man Newcastle United side on Wednesday night, which marked the first loss under Carrick's temporary leadership.
Scholes' Sarcastic Social Media Post Sparks Fury
Evra's anger was particularly ignited by a sarcastic Instagram story posted by Paul Scholes shortly after the final whistle at St James' Park. The post, which has since circulated widely, read: "Michael has definitely got something special about him…cos Utd have been crap last four games." Speaking exclusively to Stake, Evra expressed his disbelief and disappointment, stating emphatically: "I hope Paul Scholes’ Instagram story is fake, I hope he was hacked."
Evra elaborated on his astonishment, noting the stark contrast between Scholes' reserved personality as a player and his current media persona. "To be honest, I’m not surprised at that from Scholesy. He was the quietest player I’ve ever played with in my entire career. Now, in the media, he drops bombshells," Evra remarked, highlighting the perceived hypocrisy in Scholes' sudden outspokenness.
Evra Voices Strong Support for Carrick's Leadership
The former French left-back voiced unwavering support for Michael Carrick, who has been steering the team through a challenging period. "I really don’t understand the lack of support behind Michael Carrick, he’s one of us and he’s doing very well," Evra asserted, emphasising the importance of solidarity within the Manchester United family. Despite the recent setback against Newcastle, United remain in a strong position to secure Champions League qualification, a fact that Evra believes should temper criticism.
Criticism Extends to Neville and Keane
Evra did not limit his criticism to Scholes alone, extending his remarks to include Gary Neville and Roy Keane. "There’s been negative analysis from Scholesy, but also from Roy Keane and Gary Neville," he observed, lamenting what he perceives as a pervasive culture of negativity in football punditry. "It annoys me because we want to be in the top four, and those comments are unnecessary, but this is what you do when you work in TV. You can’t be positive, you have to be negative," Evra explained, suggesting that sensationalism often trumps constructive analysis in media roles.
Evra Questions Pundits' Managerial Credentials
In a particularly pointed segment of his interview, Evra took a direct swipe at Gary Neville's brief and unsuccessful managerial tenure at Valencia. "Most of these guys get a managerial job and get fired straightaway. I said to Neville: ‘It’s easy to talk on TV. When you were at Valencia, they asked you for paella, and you gave them fish and chips’. After three months, they said goodbye," Evra recounted, using the culinary metaphor to illustrate Neville's failure to adapt to Spanish football culture.
Evra concluded by fundamentally questioning the authority of former players turned pundits to critique current managers. "People can’t forget what they have done as a manager. As players, they’re legends, but as managers, they haven’t done a great job. So for them to speak and possibly kill the career of a manager, it’s a little bit too much," he argued, stressing that managerial inexperience should undermine the credibility of their criticisms.
The public fallout highlights ongoing tensions within the Manchester United alumni community, as former stars navigate their roles in the media while balancing loyalty to their old club and colleagues. Evra's passionate defence of Carrick underscores the emotional stakes involved, as United continue their push for a top-four finish in the Premier League.
