Lisandro Martinez sent off against Chelsea
Photo by Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images
Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher and a Sky Sports pundit were on the same wavelength over Lisandro Martinez after Manchester United’s defeat to Chelsea.
Morgan Rogers fired Chelsea into a 1-0 lead over Manchester United in the second half on Saturday before Lisandro Martinez threw another spanner in the works.
Martinez was booked in the 59th minute at Stamford Bridge at the weekend before the 28-year-old Argentine picked up a second yellow card only four minutes later.
The Red Devils defender caught Blues centre-back Wesley Fofana with a high elbow during Man Utd’s Premier League clash with Chelsea at the weekend.
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Dermot Gallagher says Lisandro Martinez was right to be sent off, while Jay Bothroyd is critical of the Man Utd star’s actions
Premier League referee Peter Bankes initially failed to spot Lisandro Martinez’s challenge on Wesley Fofana before VAR intervened. Peter Bankes was summoned to the pitchside monitor for an on-field review and agreed that Martinez had committed a serious foul in the Manchester United box.
United were reduced to 10 men after Martinez was sent off and Cole Palmer put Chelsea 2-0 up from the subsequent penalty that was awarded. Michael Carrick’s men were unable to find a response to Chelsea’s advantage and the Blues sealed all three Premier League points.
Speaking on Sky Sports’ Ref Watch, ex-referee Dermot Gallagher said: “Perfect process. [The] referee didn’t pick it up on the field.
“Definitely a reckless challenge. Look how far Martinez goes. Never once looks at the ball.”
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Martinez is still eligible to play for Man Utd in the Champions League clash against Roma on Tuesday evening. But the former Ajax star will be ruled out of the Premier League match against Aston Villa on Sunday due to his one-match suspension.
Jay Bothroyd was in the Sky Sports studio with Gallagher and he called out Man Utd defender Martinez for the “violent” challenge on Fofana in the second half.
“I look at that and I’m saying, ‘That’s violent conduct,’ because you can hurt someone putting your elbows to their face,” he said.
“To me, that’s more violent conduct than [some of these other incidents].”
The Red Devils further plummeted down the Premier League table and are now in 17th place after their opening nine league matches under United manager Michael Carrick. United’s encounter with Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Sunday is their final Premier League match ahead of the November international break.