Lisandro Martinez will miss this weekend’s clash between Chelsea and Manchester United after receiving a controversial red card at Old Trafford on Monday
Man United’s Lisandro Martinez is sent off against Leeds (Image: Michael Regan/Getty Images)
Manager Roy Keane has accused Michael Carrick of using Lisandro Martinez’s red card to distract from Manchester United’s substandard performance against Leeds United. Carrick was furious that Martinez was sacked during the Reds’ 2-1 home loss to Leeds and will miss this weekend’s match between Chelsea and United at Stamford Bridge.
The Argentine defender was sent off for pulling Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s hair. Referee Paul Tierney brandished a red card after being told to reconsider the incident by VAR, which particularly infuriated Carrick.
In his post-match interview, Carrick described the call as “one of the worst calls” he had seen this season and drew similarities to Harry Maguire’s red card against Bournemouth the previous week. But Keane disagreed with Carrick, highlighting the fact that United were already losing 2-0 before Martinez was sacked.
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Keane told Overlap: “I understand why he did it, but the idea of this violent act is tough. But they did that to[Michael]Keane. He was sent off at Everton a few months ago and it was a similar scenario.”
“He didn’t actually grab him, but he got a red card for that. So it sounds a bit strange for them to call it an act of violence, doesn’t it? After the game, I’m surprised, United, everyone is angry at the sending off.”
“You should be angry about the performance. You know what that is? It’s like a distraction, it’s like a red card. No, you were losing 2-0 at the time.
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“Be angry at the first half for coming into the game so slowly. ‘Discussing the sending off’ is like a distraction for everyone. I understand why he was sent off, but this act of violence seems a little strange.”
United managed to maintain third place despite drawing with Bournemouth and losing to Leeds. However, Aston Villa are currently level on points with the Reds in fourth place, making their position increasingly vulnerable.
In his post-match comments, Carrick made no secret of his displeasure with the decision, which means he will be without both Maguire and Martinez against Chelsea this weekend. He said: “That decision was one of the worst decisions I’ve ever seen.
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“He (Calvert-Lewin) can throw his arm in Richa (Martinez)’s face and he gets sent off. It’s shocking. I don’t even know what that looks like. It’s not a tug, it’s not a drag, it’s not aggressive.”
“He touched it and got sent off. To make matters worse, he was sent to knock it over. This is a clear mistake. It’s shocking. He’s off balance and grappling.”
“We have to be careful how the game goes. This is a shocking decision, absolutely shocking.”
