Manchester United lost 2-1 to Leeds United at Old Trafford after defender Lisandro Martinez was shown a straight red card for pulling the hair of Leeds striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin. The incident occurred in the 63rd minute, with United already trailing 2-0 following two first-half goals from Noah Okafor. Referee Paul Tierney, after reviewing the footage on the pitchside VAR monitor, deemed the act violent conduct and dismissed the 28-year-old Argentine. "After review, Manchester United 6 is guilty of pulling his hair — violent conduct. Final decision is red card," Tierney stated publicly. The Premier League Match Centre later confirmed the red card was issued following the VAR intervention.
Martinez's dismissal came moments after Calvert-Lewin appeared to make contact with the defender's face during a tussle. Michael Carrick, United's manager, strongly contested the decision, calling it "one of the worst" red card rulings he has witnessed. "He [Calvet-Lewin] can throw his arms in Licha's face — and then he's sent off. Shocking," Carrick said. "It's not a pull, it's not a tug, it's not aggressive. He touches it and he gets sent off." United pulled one goal back late through Marcus Rashford but could not recover. Martinez now faces a three-match suspension.
