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

Manchester United's head coach, Michael Carrick, lambasted the 'shocking' decision to send off Lisandro Martinez, labeling it as 'one of the worst' refereeing calls he has ever seen. The Argentine defender was given his marching orders after a brief, unintentional hair pull on Dominic Calvert-Lewin during the 2-1 loss to Leeds at Old Trafford, which will now result in a three-match ban. Carrick expressed his outrage, stating that the incident was not aggressive and did not warrant such a harsh punishment. He also pointed out that this was the second consecutive game where his team had been on the receiving end of unfavorable decisions. Sky Sports' Jamie Carragher sympathized with Carrick's frustration, emphasizing that the punishment did not fit the crime. Martinez's dismissal has sparked a debate among football pundits, with some arguing that the decision was too severe, while others believe that the current rules dictate such actions should be met with a red card. Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville disagreed with Carrick's assessment, suggesting that Martinez should have been aware of the consequences of pulling an opponent's hair, given the increased scrutiny on such incidents this season.