Carrick Says Man United Have 'Moved On' From Lisandro Martinez's Outburst Before Leeds
Michael Carrick says Man United have moved on from Lisandro Martinez's public criticism, but five winless games and a trip to Leeds raise the stakes.
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Key takeaways
- Lisandro Martinez was fined and apologized after criticizing the squad and director of football Jason Wilcox, and is available at Leeds, per ESPN.
- Michael Carrick said United have "moved on"; ESPN's sources say executives were more upset that Martinez went public than by what he said.
- United are winless in five and Leeds are unbeaten at home since March, ESPN reported.
- DraftKings has Leeds at +135 and United at +190 on the moneyline, per ESPN's feed, with United drifting from +140 at the open.
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Carrick Plays Down Lisandro Martinez's Outburst Ahead of Leeds
Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick said Friday the club has put Lisandro Martinez's interview behind it. Martinez criticized director of football Jason Wilcox and the strength of the squad after a 2-0 Champions League defeat to Atletico Madrid, per ESPN. After talks with Carrick, Wilcox and CEO Omar Berrada, the defender apologized and was fined, and he is available for Sunday's trip to Leeds.
We've moved on.
ESPN's sources say executives were more bothered that Martinez aired it publicly than by the content, and that the club accepts the squad has weaknesses, especially at left back. The summer budget was originally around 120 million pounds, and Wilcox and Berrada signed Carlos Baleba, Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans for 155 million pounds, ESPN reported. United are on a five-game run without a win.
Manchester United at Leeds Odds: What the Market Did
DraftKings has Leeds as the slight favorite at home, per ESPN's odds feed as of October 17 at 9:15 AM ET. The total is 2.5 goals.
| Market | Opening | Current | Move |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leeds moneyline | +175 | +135 | Shortened |
| Manchester United moneyline | +140 | +190 | Drifted |
| Draw | +250 | +260 | Little change |
The feed does not say why a line moved, so everything below is our reading and not a reported cause.
Our Read: A Dressing Room Story or a Squad Story?
- The market has turned against United. United opened as the shorter price and are now the longer one. That may reflect form, the Atletico result and the noise around the club, though the feed gives no reason.
- The apology closes the incident, not the issue. ESPN's sources agree on the squad's gaps and the budget limits, so the complaint is not simply a one-man tantrum.
- Carrick needs a result more than a statement. He has defended his players all season, and ESPN says some at the club think Martinez was deflecting heat from him. Five winless games leave little room.
- Leeds' home form cuts the other way. Being unbeaten at home since March is a real edge, but it is a small sample and says little about this opponent.
A public row can unsettle a group or galvanize it, and nothing in the reporting tells us which.
What to Watch at Elland Road
- Whether Martinez starts, and how the crowd and teammates treat him.
- How United cover the left-back problem ESPN's sources acknowledge.
- Whether Carrick's team ends the winless run of five games.
- Any January talk about Martinez, whose contract runs to 2027 with a club option for another year.
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