Paul Scholes reveals text to Michael Carrick after Man United comment

March 10, 2026 Oliver Obel

Paul Scholes says Manchester United interim manager Michael Carrick was not offended by his recent social media criticism after the remark sparked debate among fans and former teammates.

The former United midfielder addressed the situation after an Instagram post he made following the club’s recent 2–1 defeat to Newcastle United circulated widely online. According to sports outlet GiveMeSport, the comment quickly drew attention because of Scholes’ long relationship with Carrick.

Shortly after the match, Scholes wrote:

"Michael has definitely got something special about him… Cos Utd have been CRAP last 4 games."

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Carrick’s Early Spell in Charge

Carrick, a former Manchester United midfielder himself, stepped in as interim manager at Old Trafford in January after Ruben Amorim left the position.

Results under Carrick have generally been positive. United won six of his first eight matches in charge, recording one draw and one defeat during that stretch.

The loss to Newcastle marked his first defeat as manager. Newcastle sealed the victory late in the game through William Osula, despite having been reduced to ten players during the closing stages.

Scholes Says Comment Was Misinterpreted

Speaking on The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast, Scholes said he contacted Carrick soon after the post gained traction to make clear that his remark was not meant as a personal criticism.

"It was in no way intended to be offensive towards Michael. Michael is one of the nicest people you will ever meet in football, he'd be the last person that I would want to offend.

"I messaged Michael anyway. I went straight to Michael and said, 'Look, I was never intending to upset you'. And I don't think I needed to say that anyway, and he told me himself he wasn't upset by it."

Scholes and Carrick spent years playing together in midfield, sharing the pitch 160 times for Manchester United and England.

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Reaction From Former Teammates

The Instagram post prompted discussion among former United players. Patrice Evra, who also played alongside both men, questioned the message publicly.

"I hope Paul Scholes' Instagram story is fake. I hope he was hacked. To be honest, I'm not surprised at that from Scholesy. He was the quietest player I've ever played with in my entire career. Now, in the media, he drops bombshells."

Scholes later said the reaction stemmed from people interpreting the comment differently than he intended.

"I think people have just taken it differently from what was meant. The only thing I was saying was that I don't think they played that well the last four games and he's still managing to get results."

“Sometimes You Need a Bit of Luck”

The former England midfielder added that even successful managers sometimes benefit from fortunate moments during matches — something he said was often emphasized by former United manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

"We had the greatest manager in the world and he always said sometimes you need a bit of luck. So with sending-offs and different things that happen through games, sometimes you do need a bit of luck, that's all I was saying."

Podcast co-host and former United defender Wes Brown said he initially interpreted the post differently.

"I can see it both ways. When Scholesy explained it to me, it completely made sense. But how I read it was as if he's having a go at him."

Scholes responded that his point was not to suggest Carrick was simply fortunate.

"What Wes said, and I hadn't heard that before, was that I was saying he's just a lucky manager. I wasn't saying that, I was saying he's a very talented manager because he's getting results with a team that, for the last four games since the West Ham game, I didn't think were playing very well, that's all."

Manchester United currently sit third in the Premier League table as the season enters a crucial stage. Carrick’s side are scheduled to host Aston Villa on March 15.

Sources: GiveMeSport; The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast