Carrick Condemns 'Appalling' Red Card for Martinez: 'One of the Most Egregious Decisions I've Witnessed'

Manchester United's head coach, Michael Carrick, lambasted the referee's decision to send off Lisandro Martinez, calling it 'one of the worst' refereeing calls he has ever seen. The incident occurred during a match against Leeds, where Martinez was given a red card for a brief, unintentional hair pull on Dominic Calvert-Lewin. The Argentine defender was left bewildered as he exited the pitch, facing a three-match ban. Carrick expressed his outrage, stating that the referee's decision was 'shocking' and that the brief, non-aggressive contact did not warrant such a harsh punishment. He also pointed out that this was the second consecutive game where his team had been adversely affected by questionable refereeing decisions. Former Manchester United player Jamie Carragher shared Carrick's sentiments, describing the incident as 'softer' than a similar incident involving Everton's Michael Keane earlier in the season. Carragher emphasized that while he agrees with the rulebook, the game should also consider the context and spirit of the game, rather than just adhering to the rules. In contrast, former Manchester United defender Gary Neville disagreed, believing that Martinez should have been aware of the heightened scrutiny surrounding hair pulling this season and that the red card was justified.