Patrice Evra has criticised fellow Manchester United legend Paul Scholes over an ‘unnecessary’ comment he made about caretaker manager Michael Carrick.
Carrick enjoyed a improbable begin to his time in command of United, winning seven of his first eight games and taking the Red Devils back into the Champions League places.
Carrick’s tenure hit its first stumbling block last week as Manchester United were beaten by ten-man Newcastle United at St James’ Park.
Following that setback Scholes appeared to take a swipe at Carrick, who has emerged because the favourite for the Manchester United job since Ruben Amorim was sacked in January.
Taking to Instagram, Scholes said: ‘Michael has definitely got something special about him… cos Utd have been crap last 4 games… night.’
Scholes later deleted the post but Evra was nevertheless dissatisfied by his former teammate over his ‘unnecessary’ dig.
‘I hope Paul Scholes’ Instagram story is fake, I hope he was hacked,’ Evra told Stake. ‘To be honest, I’m not surprised at that from Scholesy.
Your football fix
Metro‘s Head of Sport James Goldman delivers punchy evaluation, transfer talk and his tackle the week’s biggest stories direct to your inbox every week.
Join here, it’s an open goal.
‘He was the quietest player I’ve ever played with in my entire profession. Now, within the media, he drops bombshells.
‘I actually don’t understand the dearth of support behind Michael Carrick, he’s one in every of us and he’s doing thoroughly. There’s been negative evaluation from Scholesy, but additionally from Roy Keane and Gary Neville.
‘It annoys me because we would like to be in the highest 4, and people comments are unnecessary, but that is what you do once you work in TV. You may’t be positive, you will have to be negative.
‘Michael Carrick’s record is seven games, one draw and one loss. That’s the situation at once.
‘Now Manchester United must win their next game in order that they don’t let that noise get to them, from the surface and from ex-players.
‘Carrick is the person of the moment and has done rather well. We needs to be behind him and support him.’
Turning his attentions to Gary Neville, who has repeatedly suggested Manchester United should overlook Carrick, Evra added: ‘Most of those guys get a managerial job and get fired straightaway.
‘I said to Neville: “It’s easy to speak on TV. While you were at Valencia, they asked you for paella, and also you gave them fish and chips.” After three months, they said goodbye.
‘People can’t forget what they’ve done as a manager. As players, they’re legends, but as managers, they haven’t done an awesome job.
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to an internet
browser that
supports HTML5
video
‘So for them to talk and possibly kill the profession of a manager, it’s a little bit bit an excessive amount of.’
Premier League record goalscorer Alan Shearer, meanwhile, says he was ‘surprised’ by Scholes taking aim at Manchester United caretaker boss Carrick.
‘Did Paul Scholes say something along the lines of United being really poor in some games? I mean, they may have been poor, but they’ve been getting the outcomes,’ Shearer told Betfair.
‘I suppose once you play like that the opposite night, they usually didn’t play well, you’re going to get criticised.
‘I don’t know if there’s a friendship between Scholes and Carrick, I suppose after they’ve been former teammates and guys who’ve been fighting together on the pitch then it probably is a bit surprising that an ex-teammate would say that against you.
‘But, we understand how the world works now, I don’t suspect that may upset Michael that much.’
Manchester United will look to return to winning ways next Sunday when top-four rivals Aston Villa visit Old Trafford.
For more stories like this, check our sport page.
Follow Metro Sport for the newest news on
Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
MORE: Liverpool legend Steve McManaman names the trophy Arsenal won’t win this season
MORE: Chelsea told to sign £18m former Liverpool star after Gary Neville warning
MORE: Michael Carrick urged to reverse Manchester United transfer decision