Manchester United's head coach, Michael Carrick, vehemently criticized the referee's decision to send off Lisandro Martinez, labeling it as 'one of the worst' officiating calls he has ever seen. The incident occurred during the team's 2-1 defeat to Leeds, with Martinez receiving a red card after a brief hair pull on Dominic Calvert-Lewin, which was deemed a bookable offense by VAR.
Carrick argued that the decision was excessive, given the innocuous nature of the contact, and that it was not a deliberate or aggressive act. He expressed frustration that this was the second consecutive match where his team had been adversely affected by such decisions. The Argentine defender now faces a three-match ban, and Carrick's sentiments were echoed by Sky Sports' Jamie Carragher, who felt that the punishment was too harsh. In contrast, former Manchester United defender Gary Neville believed that Martinez should have been more aware of the potential consequences of his actions, given the increased scrutiny on hair pulling this season.