Michael Carrick has moved to reassure fans and staff alike that Manchester United are a united dressing room, following a fiery public outburst from defender Lisandro Martínez that set alarm bells ringing at Old Trafford this week.

Speaking ahead of Sunday's fixture against Leeds United, Carrick struck a composed tone, insisting his squad had put the incident behind them and were focused entirely on the challenge ahead.

Martínez's comments rattle the camp

Martínez's midweek remarks were notably sharp in tone, raising questions about the mood inside the club. The Argentine centre-back's words quickly became the dominant talking point surrounding Manchester United's preparations for the weekend.

Carrick, however, was quick to draw a line under the matter. The former England midfielder presented a calm front, projecting confidence in his group's ability to channel any internal tension into a winning performance against Leeds United.

Only results will tell the real story

Words from a manager can only go so far. Manchester United face a Leeds United side that will test the strength of that claimed togetherness, and Sunday's result at the final whistle will speak louder than any press conference assurance.

A victory for Manchester United would lend credibility to Carrick's portrait of a harmonious squad. A stumble, on the other hand, risks amplifying the narrative that Martínez's outburst was not an isolated flash of frustration, but a symptom of deeper unrest within the camp.

The pressure, then, falls squarely on the players to deliver — and to show that whatever was said in public this week stays exactly where Carrick insists it is: firmly in the past.