Lisandro Martinez was shown a straight red card for violent conduct after tugging the hair of Dominic Calvert-Lewin
Isaac Johnson Leeds United reporter
12:42, 14 Apr 2026
Lisandro Martinez pulls the hair of Calvert-Lewin
View Image
Lisandro Martinez pulls the hair of Calvert-Lewin(Image: Sky Sports)
Tuesday morning was flooded with debate over Lisandro Martinez’s hair-pull red card during the second half of Leeds United’s win over Manchester United.
The Red Devils defender was sent off 11 minutes after half-time for grabbing the hair of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, with VAR advising the dismissal after calling referee Paul Tierney to the touchline screen.
Momentum afterwards actually swung in the home side’s favour with Casemiro setting up a nervous final 20 minutes for Leeds with his header. He was inches away from getting an 86th-minute equaliser but for Calvert-Lewin’s goal-line clearance with Karl Darlow producing some excellent saves.
Man United caretaker boss Michael Carrick felt Calvert-Lewin should have been penalised for an arm on Leny Yoro in the build up to Noah Okafor’s first goal and then took issue when Martinez was shown a red card later on.
“The arm [is] in the face of Lisandro and he is off balance and grappling. He goes to touch his shirt and gets a red card for it,” said Carrick.
Leeds United's 2025/26 shirts now £25
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
Content Image
£70
£25
Fanatics
Buy Now on Fanatics
Leeds United have is offering this season's home, away and third adult jerseys for £25 ahead of their trip to Wembley FA Cup semi-final.
“It is not aggressive, there is no jolt, no tug. We have got to be careful where the game is going. It is a shocking decision, absolutely shocking.
"The red card, that is really concerning. I know he touched his hair. There is a difference to really aggressively touching it.”
The term 'aggression' actually does not come into the guidance given to Premier League officials by referee body PGMOL, but rather ‘force’.
On page 96 of the 2025/26 PGMO Premier League handbook guide, it reads that violent conduct includes “clearly pulling the hair of an opponent with force”.
Calvert-Lewin protested to the referee about the hair pull, with his bobble falling out as Martinez gripped his hair.
PGMOL chief Howard Webb explained the rule guidance in more detail when Everton’s Michael Keane was shown a red card for pulling the hair of Wolves attacker Tolu Arokodare in January.
"For some years now, actions where players pull opponents' hair have been deemed as violent conduct,” he said. "You don't see that often, you sometimes see it with players maybe in confrontation with one another, not battling for the ball.
"I'm told if you have your hair pulled, it's quite an offensive thing to happen to you - I've not had mine pulled for a long time – but I think we've recognised that and it is in the guidance that we give to clubs before the season starts.
"Grabbing somebody’s hair with force is deemed violent conduct and a player will be sent off. It was the appropriate outcome. It was unusual but if we see it again next week, it will be the same outcome next week as well."
Article continues below
So as per the guidance and ruling, it was correct to show Martinez the red card. Whether the rule needs defining more precisely, that is another debate.