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

Manchester United's head coach, Michael Carrick, has sharply criticized the decision to send off Lisandro Martinez, labeling it as one of the worst refereeing calls he has ever seen. The incident occurred during Man Utd's 2-1 defeat to Leeds, where Martinez was given a red card after a brief and seemingly unintentional hair pull on Dominic Calvert-Lewin. Carrick argued that the action did not warrant such a harsh punishment, emphasizing that it was not a deliberate or aggressive move. He expressed his frustration, stating that the decision was 'shocking' and that the referee's choice to overturn the initial call was misguided. The Argentine defender now faces a three-match ban, further complicating Manchester United's situation. The match also saw controversy over the first goal, where Calvert-Lewin's arm made contact with Leny Yoro's face, but the goal was allowed to stand. Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville had a differing opinion, suggesting that Martinez should have been aware of the potential consequences of hair pulling, given the current emphasis on such incidents in the league. Sky Sports' Jamie Carragher, however, was more sympathetic to Carrick's viewpoint, questioning the severity of the punishment in light of the guidelines and the specific context of the incident.