Carrick slams Martinez red card as ‘worst decision’

Manchester United's interim manager Michael Carrick did not hold back in his assessment of the officiating during the team's 2-1 defeat to Leeds United. He labelled the decision to send off defender Lisandro Martinez as "one of the worst" he has ever witnessed, particularly given the context of the match. Carrick argued that the foul, a hair pull, was not a deliberate or aggressive act and that the referee, Paul Tierney, was influenced by VAR to make a poor call.

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I thought the boys, the way they went about it, they stayed positive and fought to get something out of it after another shocking decision to send off Lisandro.

The manager also highlighted what he perceived as a missed foul on Leny Yoro in the build-up to Leeds' opening goal, questioning why that incident was not reviewed with the same scrutiny. This double standard in officiating, according to Carrick, significantly impacted the game's outcome.

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Two games in a row we’ve had decisions like that go against us but this one was one of the worst I’ve seen.

Despite the controversial decisions, Carrick urged his team to remain positive and focus on the upcoming crucial fixture against Chelsea. While acknowledging the disappointment of the loss and the perceived injustices, he stressed the importance of moving forward and maintaining their strong position in the Premier League table, emphasizing the team's overall good standing despite recent setbacks.

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You can throw your arm in Martinez’s face and then as he’s off balance because of that, he’s half grappling, he half touches the back of his hair which pulls the bobble to come out.