Manchester United's head coach, Michael Carrick, has vehemently criticized the referee's decision to send off Lisandro Martinez, describing it as 'one of the worst' officiating calls he has ever seen. The incident occurred during the team's 2-1 defeat to Leeds, when Martinez was given a red card for a brief and seemingly unintentional hair pull on Dominic Calvert-Lewin. Carrick argued that the punishment was excessively harsh, particularly given that the contact was minimal and not aggressive.
He expressed frustration that the referee, Paul Tierney, was instructed to review the play and subsequently upheld the decision, which will result in Martinez serving a three-match ban. Carrick's sentiments were echoed by Sky Sports' Jamie Carragher, who felt that the decision was unduly harsh.
The Manchester United head coach also expressed dissatisfaction with the refereeing in the match, citing an earlier incident in which Calvert-Lewin caught defender Leny Yoro in the face with his arm, which was not penalized. Meanwhile, former Manchester United defender Gary Neville offered a differing opinion, suggesting that Martinez should have been aware of the potential consequences of pulling an opponent's hair, given the increased scrutiny on such incidents this season.