The Leeds United defender gave his view on how the red card impacted the game against the Whites
Isaac Johnson Leeds United reporter
09:00, 14 Apr 2026
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MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - APRIL 13: Referee Paul Tierney speaks with Lisandro Martinez of Manchester United after showing him a red card for pulling the hair of Dominic Calvert-Lewin of Leeds United during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Leeds United at Old Trafford on April 13, 2026 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
James Justin says Leeds United were left perplexed after Manchester United’s red card, with momentum shifting towards the home side despite being a man down.
After a first-half double from Noah Okafor, Lisandro Martinez was sent off 11 minutes after half-time for pulling the hair of Dominic Calvert-Lewin. Casemiro managed to get one back for the hosts on 69 minutes amid an attacking barrage from Man Utd, which set up a nervous finish.
"We had a formula that was working, I would say, and then the sending off just changed everything,” said Justin after full-time, echoing Daniel Farke’s own stance. “I don't really know, to be honest, because it just bewildered everyone.
"I'm not even sure what happened. Obviously, it's nice to be playing against one less man for once this season. We had to defend for our lives and obviously show the fans how much it meant for us on the pitch as well. We ended up getting three points, which is most important.”
Leeds had suffered heartbreak before this season, most notably at Newcastle United earlier in the second when two stoppage time goals saw the Magpies win 4-3. Of course, Leeds lost a two-goal lead at West Ham United in the FA Cup quarter-final win before winning on penalties.
But this time, the visitors held on within the 90 minutes to earn a crucial win to send them six points clear of the drop zone amid their second Premier League away win of the campaign, ahead of a home game against bottom club Wolves on Saturday.
Justin added: "It was an amazing win for the fans and the club. It's a massive one, especially in terms of survival this season. It's a good three points, but we're already looking ahead to Wolves on the weekend, so we've got to be ready for that.
"It's been a while since our last game at home. We had the big win against West Ham, where we qualified for the next stage in the Cup, which was after the international break.
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"We haven't had a league victory in a while, but it's nice to pick up three points for the first time for us. Hopefully, we can take that into the weekend and deliver again."
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