{"id":5132,"date":"2026-04-14T14:03:44","date_gmt":"2026-04-14T14:03:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/?p=5132"},"modified":"2026-04-14T14:03:44","modified_gmt":"2026-04-14T14:03:44","slug":"michael-carrick-defends-manchester-united-flop-after-gary-neville-criticism-football","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/?p=5132","title":{"rendered":"Michael Carrick defends Manchester United flop after Gary Neville criticism | Football"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <div style=\"display: grid; grid-template-columns: 300px 160px; gap: 2px; width: 460px; background: #eee; padding: 2px;\">\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u6574\u884c\u5bbd\u5e7f\u544a -->\r\n  <div style=\"grid-column: 1\/-1; width: 460px; height: 250px; background: #ccc; display: grid; place-items: center;\">\r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e2\" data-zoneid=\"5876674\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n  <div style=\"grid-column: 1\/-1; width: 460px; height: 90px; background: #ccc; display: grid; place-items: center;\">\r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e2\" data-zoneid=\"5876676\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u5de6\u4fa7\u7ad6\u6392 -->\r\n  <div style=\"height: 250px; background: #ccc; display: grid; place-items: center;\">\r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e2\" data-zoneid=\"5876672\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n  <div style=\"height: 500px; background: #ccc; display: grid; place-items: center;\">\r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e2\" data-zoneid=\"5876680\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u53f3\u4fa7\u6469\u5929\u697c\uff08\u548c\u5de6\u4fa7\u5b8c\u5168\u5bf9\u9f50\uff09 -->\r\n  <div style=\"grid-row: 3\/5; height: 750px; background: #ccc; display: grid; place-items: center;\">\r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e2\" data-zoneid=\"5876678\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n  \r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e6\" data-zoneid=\"5876682\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n<\/div><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"646\" height=\"431\" src=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2270786810.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=646\" class=\"article-image wp-image-27973658\" alt=\"Manchester United v Leeds United - Premier League\" decoding=\"sync\"\/>\t<\/div><figcaption>Michael Carrick has backed the under-fire Manuel Ugarte (Picture: Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Michael Carrick has defended the form of Manuel Ugarte after Gary Neville said the midfielder has been \u2018well short\u2019 ever since he joined Manchester United.<\/p>\n<p>Ugarte was in the starting XI for the Red Devils for the first time under Carrick as they hosted Leeds United on Monday night.<\/p>\n<p>The Uruguayan got the nod as Kobbie Mainoo was out injured, playing at the base of midfield alongside Casemiro.<\/p>\n<p>Things did not go well for Ugarte or Carrick\u2019s side in general, beaten 2-1 by the Yorkshire side in an underwhelming display at Old Trafford, not helped by a red card for Lisandro Martinez.<\/p>\n<p>The 25-year-old joined Manchester United from PSG in August 2024 for a fee of around \u00a342m, but has failed to impress under managers Erik ten Hag, Ruben Amorim and now Carrick.<\/p>\n<p>Neville has described the Uruguay international as \u2018really limited on the ball\u2019 but Carrick said he was happy enough with how Ugarte played against Leeds. <\/p>\n<p>Asked if he was concerned over the midfielder\u2019s form, Carrick said: \u2018No. No no. I think when he\u2019s played since I\u2019ve been here\u2026whatever\u2019s gone on before has gone on before, it\u2019s not for me to comment on. Since I\u2019ve come, when he\u2019s played and he\u2019s come on he\u2019s been fine. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img width=\"646\" height=\"431\" src=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2270803035.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=646\" class=\"article-image wp-image-27973660\" alt=\"Manchester United v Leeds United - Premier League\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>\t<\/div><figcaption>Manuel Ugarte signed a five-year contract in 2024 (Picture: Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u2018Tonight was a tough game, not just for Manu, I think it was just one of those games where it was a tough night. <\/p>\n<p>\u2018I actually thought, especially when we went down to 10 men, he was really important and he did a lot of covering for other players to be able to attack, so actually I thought he did well especially the longer the game went on.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>Red Devils legend Neville was concerned when he saw Ugarte alongside Casemiro in the starting XI, feeling the pair cannot keep hold of the ball well enough.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img width=\"646\" height=\"431\" src=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2270787114.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=646\" class=\"article-image wp-image-27973661\" alt=\"Manchester United v Leeds United - Premier League\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>\t<\/div><figcaption>Ugarte\u2019s ability on the ball has come in for criticism (Picture: Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u2018When I saw the team, I wasn\u2019t sure about it,\u2019 Neville said on the Gary Neville Podcast.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018Maybe it was the Ugarte-Casemiro partnership in midfield which Carrick probably feels he has to use because it is the two he has got and it is the hand he has been dealt. But it\u2019s not a partnership that is ever going to work.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018Casemiro has been a world class player and there were times he was driving the team forward and scored the goal but Ugarte has been well short since he came to the club and if he is to play alongside someone, he needs a football player beside him because he is really limited on the ball.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018Carrick has not started him in a game, so that means your midfield is blocked.\u2019<\/p>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img width=\"646\" height=\"423\" src=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2269203422.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=646\" class=\"article-image wp-image-27973663\" alt=\"England v Uruguay - International Friendly\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>\t<\/div><figcaption>Ugarte faced England at Wembley with Uruguay on March 27 (Picture: Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The clash with Leeds may have been Ugarte\u2019s first Manchester United start in over two months, but he was in the Uruguay XI that drew with England at the end of March.<\/p>\n<p>He has 36 caps for his country and will head to the World Cup this summer where Uruguay will be in a group with Spain, Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n<p>Ugarte is unlikely to stay in the Manchester United team for long, with Carrick saying on Monday that Mainoo is only dealing with a minor issue.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018Over the last day or so, Kobbie just had an issue in training,\u2019 the manager told Sky Sports. \u2018So it seems small but big enough to keep him out tonight. It wasn\u2019t worth the risk, to be honest, so we\u2019re hoping it\u2019s pretty small and it won\u2019t be too long.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018Manu comes in tonight. He came on and did well for us in the last game at Bournemouth and went away and played well for Uruguay so he\u2019s well up to speed.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018He\u2019s been great in training and done great all the way through really and part of what we\u2019ve done, even though it\u2019s not obvious because Kobbie and Case have played a lot.\u2019<\/p>\n<p class=\"metro-more-link\"><svg><title>Arrow<\/title>\n<use xlink:href=\"#common-right-arrow\" href=\"#common-right-arrow\"\/><\/svg><span class=\"mor-link\" data-track-module=\"mor-link_article\">MORE: Edwin van der Sar warns Michael Carrick made mistake with \u00a374m Man Utd star vs Leeds<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"metro-more-link\"><svg><title>Arrow<\/title>\n<use xlink:href=\"#common-right-arrow\" href=\"#common-right-arrow\"\/><\/svg><span class=\"mor-link\" data-track-module=\"mor-link_article\">MORE: Bayern Munich hold talks over move for Arsenal and Man Utd-linked England star<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"metro-more-link\"><svg><title>Arrow<\/title>\n<use xlink:href=\"#common-right-arrow\" href=\"#common-right-arrow\"\/><\/svg><span class=\"mor-link\" data-track-module=\"mor-link_article\">MORE: Michael Carrick rages at \u2018shocking\u2019 decisions in surprise Man Utd defeat<\/span><\/p>\n<section id=\"share-buttons-bottom\" class=\"share-buttons share-buttons-bottom\">\n\t\t\t<span><svg><title>Comment now<\/title>\n<use xlink:href=\"#social-comment\" href=\"#social-comment\"\/><\/svg><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"share-bar-comments__label\">Comments<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t<span><svg><title>Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google<\/title>\n<use xlink:href=\"#social-preferred-source\" href=\"#social-preferred-source\"\/><\/svg><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"share-bar-preferred-source__label\">Add as preferred source<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/section>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><!-- \u603b\u5bb9\u5668\uff1a\u6700\u5927\u5bbd908px Grid\u7d27\u51d1\u5e03\u5c40 -->\r\n<div style=\"display: grid; 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