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 dismiss Lisandro Martinez, labeling it as 'one of the worst' refereeing calls he has ever seen, following a brief hair pull on Dominic Calvert-Lewin during the team's 2-1 defeat to Leeds at Old Trafford. The incident, which occurred when Martinez was grappling with Calvert-Lewin, led to a VAR review and the player's subsequent dismissal, resulting in a three-match ban. Carrick expressed his outrage, stating, 'It's not a pull, it's not a tug, it's not aggressive, he touches it and gets sent off. Worst of all is he was sent to overturn it as a clear and obvious error. It's shocking.' He further emphasized that the decision was particularly galling given that it was the second consecutive game in which his team had been adversely affected by such calls. Sky Sports' Jamie Carragher sympathized with Carrick's frustration, noting that the referee's decision to allow the opening goal to stand, despite Calvert-Lewin's forearm smash on defender Leny Yoro, was also questionable. Carragher opined that the guidance in the Premier League handbook, which dictates that players will be sent off for forcefully pulling an opponent's hair, did not apply to this situation. Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville disagreed, arguing that Martinez should have been aware of the heightened scrutiny surrounding hair pulling this season and that the decision, although 'soft,' was correct. The incident has sparked a debate about the application of the rules and the role of VAR in the game.