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, calling it 'one of the worst' refereeing decisions he has ever witnessed. The red card was given after a brief hair pull on Dominic Calvert-Lewin, which was deemed a serious offense by the referee, Paul Tierney, following a VAR review. As a result, Martinez now faces a three-match ban. Carrick expressed his dismay, stating that the incident was not aggressive and did not warrant such a harsh punishment. He pointed out that the contact was unintentional and brief, and that the decision to overturn the initial call was 'shocking.' The incident has sparked debate among football pundits, with some, like Jamie Carragher, sympathizing with Carrick's view, while others, such as Gary Neville, believe that Martinez should have been more aware of the heightened scrutiny on hair pulling this season.