Noussair Mazraoui has hailed the influence that Jonny Evans and Jonathan Woodgate have had at Old Trafford after both Manchester United figures became part of Michael Carrick’s coaching staff.
Jonathan Woodgate shared a close relationship with Michael Carrick away from Old Trafford after he served as a first-team coach under him at Middlesbrough.
Manchester United legend Carrick reunited with former Middlesbrough coach Woodgate in January after he made his return to the Premier League club.
Noussair Mazraoui was teammates with Jonny Evans in the tail end of his former United teammate’s playing career before the Northern Irishman retired in 2025.
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Noussair Mazraoui in action with Daniel Munoz during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Crystal Palace at Old Trafford in 2026 in Manchester, England.
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Patrick Dorgu celebrates with his teammates during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Newcastle United.
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Noussair Mazraoui explains the impact that Jonathan Woodgate has had at Man Utd under Michael Carrick’s reign
Jonathan Woodgate had been out of coaching since Manchester United interim boss Michael Carrick was sacked as the head coach of Middlesbrough in 2025.
Carrick turned to the 46-year-old upon his return to management and Woodgate took up the role of interim first-team coach in the current United coaching staff.
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Both Woodgate and Jonny Evans have been key parts to Carrick’s interim head coach reign so far alongside United interim assistant head coach Steve Holland.
Noussair Mazraoui was asked about working with Woodgate on the defending side of United’s playing style and he praised the first-team coach for his key influence.
“He’s really positive,” he told United Review, as per Manchester United’s official website.
“He’s really, really clear also. Like the whole staff [knows] what they want and they’re telling us.
“They are really clear and really positive, in a way which you really understand. So yes, it’s really, really good to work with them.”
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Noussair Mazraoui on his relationship change with Jonny Evans from Man Utd teammates to a player-and-coach dynamic
Evans first took up his role in the United coaching staff under caretaker manager Darren Fletcher after the Red Devils had sacked Ruben Amorim in January.
Carrick had played alongside Evans during his time at Old Trafford and the 44-year-old former Middlesbrough boss retained his ex-teammate for his interim spell.
Speaking on his relationship with Evans now, Mazraoui said: “Yeah, that’s funny.
“That change, especially when I arrived, I knew him as my team-mate, and I have a quite good relationship with Jonny.
“So, yeah, I spoke a lot with him as a teammate, but I already saw him… like because of his age, the respect was really, really high. So, basically, nothing really changed.”
Mazraoui has made 15 appearances across all competitions for United in the 2025-26 campaign and the former Ajax and Bayern Munich ace has not scored or assisted.
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