Carrick shrugs off Scholes dig as Man. United gear up for Villa test

Michael Carrick on Friday brushed off criticism from former Manchester United teammate Paul Scholes as he prepares his side for a crunch Premier League game against Aston Villa.

The third-placed Red Devils return to action on Sunday after losing 2-1 at Newcastle earlier this month.

Unai Emery’s Villa, fourth in the table, are behind United on goal difference in a tight race to secure Champions League football next season.

The top five teams in the Premier League are almost certain to qualify for Europe’s top club competition.

The Newcastle defeat was Carrick’s first since taking over for the rest of the season in January and Scholes made a sarcastic jibe on Instagram about the man he played alongside in midfield at Old Trafford.

“Michael has definitely got something special about him… cos Utd have been crap last four games,” read the post from Scholes, who later insisted he meant no offence and contacted his former teammate.

But Carrick told reporters at his pre-match press conference on Friday that he was not dwelling on the issue.

“There’s nothing to say about it, really,” he said.

“I think that is just where we are in terms of social media and things, and captions and quotes. It can be taken in different ways, so just be calm about it and understand the real meaning of things.

“Listen, there are different opinions out there and it’s fine. People can have different opinions.

“It’s just things get taken from one extreme to another. It is what it is. I am not worried about it and don’t make a big deal of it either.”

Carrick said midfielder Mason Mount had taken a “big step” and could return from a two-month absence against Villa this weekend.