Carrick Condemns 'Appalling' Red Card for Martinez: 'One of the Worst Decisions I've Ever Seen'

Manchester United's head coach, Michael Carrick, has strongly criticized the decision to send off Lisandro Martinez, labeling it as one of the worst refereeing decisions he has ever witnessed. The incident occurred during the team's 2-1 defeat to Leeds, with Martinez receiving a red card for a brief and seemingly unintentional hair pull on Dominic Calvert-Lewin. The Argentine defender was left looking perplexed as he exited the pitch, and Carrick was furious that such a minor incident had been punished so severely. According to Carrick, 'It's not a pull, it's not a tug, it's not aggressive, he touches it and gets sent off. The worst part is that it was sent for review as a clear and obvious error. It's shocking.' Carrick's frustration was further exacerbated by the fact that this was the second consecutive game in which his team had been adversely affected by a controversial decision. He also expressed irritation at the failure to overturn the opening goal, which was scored after Calvert-Lewin had struck defender Leny Yoro in the face with his arm. The incident has sparked debate, with Sky Sports' Jamie Carragher sympathizing with Carrick's viewpoint. Carragher noted that while the rules dictate that players should be sent off for forcefully pulling an opponent's hair, he did not believe that Martinez's actions warranted such a harsh punishment. In contrast, former Manchester United defender Gary Neville disagreed, stating that Martinez should have been aware of the heightened scrutiny surrounding hair pulling this season and that his actions, although minor, were still deserving of a red card.