Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez is set to serve a three-match suspension after his red card against Leeds United, in a decision that has triggered strong reactions inside the club.
The incident took place during United’s 2-1 defeat at Old Trafford. Martinez was sent off in the 56th minute after a VAR review found him guilty of pulling the hair of Dominic Calvert-Lewin. The referee initially missed the moment but changed the decision after reviewing the footage, classifying it as violent conduct.
As per regulations, the dismissal carries an automatic three-match ban. This means Martinez is expected to miss key fixtures against Chelsea, Brentford and Liverpool.
The decision has not gone down well with United’s coaching staff. Manager Michael Carrick openly criticised the call, describing it as one of the worst he has seen. He argued that the contact was not aggressive and hinted that the club could consider an appeal.
The red card also had a direct impact on the match. United were already trailing 2-0 when Martinez was sent off, leaving them with ten men for the final stages. Despite a goal from Casemiro, the team failed to recover and suffered a damaging home defeat.