Sir Jim Ratcliffe and at least one member of the Glazer family visited Manchester United's Carrington training ground on Thursday to show support for interim manager Michael Carrick ahead of Saturday's derby against Manchester City.
The visit coincided with an executive committee meeting, which was moved to Carrington so that senior management could speak with Carrick before his first game of his second caretaker stint. The committee includes chief executive Omar Berrada and chief financial officer Roger Bell, alongside Ratcliffe and the Glazers, who are majority owners.
Carrick, 44, held his second training session on Thursday and expressed enthusiasm for the upcoming match. "The big games, the important games, are what we all live for," he told the club's media. With United seventh in the league and only European qualification to play for, Carrick remains optimistic: "There is a lot of talent here, and a good number of younger players finding their way."
Defender Lisandro Martínez, who returned from a serious knee injury in late November, revealed he considered retirement after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury last February. "After the first two or three weeks, to tell you the truth, I didn't want to play football any more," he told AFA Estudio. He credited support from family, friends, physios and a psychologist for his recovery, adding, "The easy way is to throw in the towel... but in the face of adversity, that's when you show your true personality."
The 27-year-old said he now feels physically and mentally better than ever after a "constant struggle" on the road to recovery.
