Manchester United's head coach, Michael Carrick, has fiercely criticized the 'shocking' decision to send off Lisandro Martinez, labeling it as 'one of the worst' refereeing decisions he has ever seen. The controversy arose when Martinez was given a red card for a brief, seemingly unintentional hair pull on Dominic Calvert-Lewin during their 2-1 defeat to Leeds at Old Trafford, which now results in a three-match ban for the player. Carrick expressed his outrage, stating that the incident did not constitute a pull or an aggressive act, and thus, the harsh punishment was unwarranted.
The Argentine defender appeared perplexed as he left the pitch, having been grappling with Calvert-Lewin at the time of the incident. Carrick's frustration was further compounded by the fact that this decision came after another contentious call earlier in the match, where the opening goal was allowed to stand despite an apparent foul by Calvert-Lewin on defender Leny Yoro in the build-up.
Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher sympathized with Carrick's viewpoint, emphasizing that while the letter of the law may have been followed, the spirit of the game suggests that such an incident should not result in a red card. The debate follows guidance in the Premier League handbook that players will be sent off for clearly pulling an opponent's hair with force, but Carragher and Carrick both argue that the incidents involving Martinez and previously Michael Keane do not fit this description. Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville, however, took a differing stance, suggesting that given the current climate, players should be aware that any form of hair pulling could lead to a red card, and thus, Martinez should have been more cautious.