Michael Carrick was furious after Lisandro Martinez was shown a straight red card for a hair pull on Leeds United striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin, with referee Paul Tierney sent to the monitor to review the incident
22:53, 13 Apr 2026Updated 22:54, 13 Apr 2026
Michael Carrick
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Michael Carrick was furious after Manchester United's defeat to Leeds
Michael Carrick raged following Manchester United's loss to Leeds United, branding the decision to dismiss Lisandro Martinez with a red card as 'one of the worst I've seen'.
Martinez was given a straight red card for tugging the hair of Leeds United forward Dominic Calvert-Lewin. Referee Paul Tierney was advised by the VAR to look at what occurred on the pitch-side monitor and brandished a red card.
Martinez will now face a three-match suspension, ruling him out of clashes against Chelsea, Brentford and Liverpool. Carrick labelled Tierney's verdict as 'shocking' while also questioning a challenge on Leny Yoro.
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - APRIL 13: Lisandro Martinez of Manchester United looks dejected as he is consoled by team mate Joshua Zirkzee after being shown a red card for pulling the hair of Dominic Calvert-Lewin of Leeds United (not pictured) during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Leeds United at Old Trafford on April 13, 2026 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)
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Lisandro Martinez was sent off(Image: Carl Recine, Getty Images)
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"We didn't start the game particularly well," the United interim head coach told Sky Sports. "We conceded, which came after Leny Yoro got a forearm smash in the back of his head.
"They didn't decide to overturn that, which was a big moment in the game. We didn't quite have the rhythm, we didn't click. We had some moments but it wasn't there for large parts of the half.
"I thought the boys stayed positive and fought for everything in the second half, after a shocking decision to send Licha [Martinez] off. That's two games in a row we've had those decisions go against us, but that one was one of the worst I've seen."
Lisandro Martinez red card
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Lisandro Martinez was sent off for pulling Dominic Calvert-Lewin's hair
Announcing the decision to the Old Trafford crowd, Tierney said: "After review, Manchester United 6 is guilty of pulling his hair - violent conduct. Final decision is red card."
Former United full-back Gary Neville said at the time "Martinez looks perplexed and confused: 'What have I done?' He's pulled his hair and that results in a red card, nowadays. He knows what he's doing there."
However, Carrick disagreed, insisting that Calvert-Lewin instigated the contact which resulted in the dismissal. "You can elbow Leny Yoro in the side of the head, a leading arm, obviously," he said.
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"Then you can throw your arm in Licha's face and as he's off-balance because of that, he half touches the back of his hair which pulls the bobble out and leads it to look like - I don't even know what it looks like.
"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."