Manchester United legend Patrice Evra has publicly condemned former teammates Paul Scholes and Gary Neville for their recent scathing remarks directed at Michael Carrick. Carrick, who has been serving as United’s interim manager, initially impressed by winning six of his first seven matches at the helm. However, following a dip in form leading to a 2-1 defeat to a ten-man Newcastle United, Carrick has faced criticism from various quarters.
Patrice Evra has voiced his discontent with Scholes and Neville’s ongoing critique, particularly when both have been advocating for a permanent managerial appointment beyond the current season. Scholes, in particular, drew Evra’s ire by labelling Carrick’s management as “crap” in a post-match analysis.
Evra expressed disbelief at Scholes’ comments, suggesting, “I hope Paul Scholes’ Instagram story is fake, I hope he was hacked. I don’t understand the lack of support for Carrick. He’s a part of us and doing very well.”
Further, Evra did not hold back in addressing Neville and Roy Keane, cautioning that such remarks might harm Carrick’s future prospects. He suggested that their current roles as pundits have led them to adopt a more negative slant than when they were players.
Pointedly referencing Neville’s unsuccessful managerial spell at Valencia, Evra added, “It’s easy to talk on TV. At Valencia, they asked for paella, and he gave them fish and chips. After three months, it was goodbye. It seems their media roles might unfairly taint a manager’s career.”
This robust defence of Carrick by Evra has highlighted the tensions within the close-knit group of former United players, sparking further debate about the impact of media criticism on managerial careers.