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, labeling it as 'one of the worst' refereeing decisions he has ever witnessed. The incident occurred during the team's 2-1 loss to Leeds at Old Trafford, where Martinez was given a red card after a brief and seemingly unintentional hair pull on Dominic Calvert-Lewin. Carrick expressed his frustration, stating that the decision was 'shocking' and that the referee had made a grave error in dismissing Martinez. The Argentine defender now faces a three-match ban. According to Carrick, the incident was not aggressive, and Martinez had merely touched Calvert-Lewin's hair, which led to the referee's harsh decision. Sky Sports' Jamie Carragher shared Carrick's sentiments, emphasizing that the decision was too harsh and that the rule book should not be the sole basis for making such decisions. Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville, however, disagreed, stating that Martinez should have been aware of the consequences of pulling an opponent's hair, given the increased scrutiny this season. Neville described the decision as 'technical' rather than violent conduct, but acknowledged that it was a red card offense.