Lisandro Martinez was shown a red card for Manchester United vs Leeds after being adjudged to have pulled Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s hair.
The discussion around Lisandro Martinez‘s red card during Manchester United’s Premier League loss against Leeds United in April continued after an incident during Chelsea vs Leeds United in the FA Cup on Sunda.. The defender was shown a straight red after being adjudged to have pulled Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s hair.
United were trailing 2-0 at the time and went on to lose 2-1. The incident was not spotted by referee Paul Tierney, but was picked up by VAR.
United were later unsuccessful with an appeal against the decision, meaning that Martinez is serving the full three-match suspension. The debate over the decision was raised again during Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final between Leeds and Chelsea.
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With Chelsea 1-0 up thanks to Enzo Fernandez’s header, the game was temporarily stopped with VAR having a second check of a potential hair pull incident, ironically involving Calvert-Lewin.
Speaking on TNT Sport, commentator Darren Fletcher said: “The game is being delayed at the moment, because they’re just having a look at a potential pull of Marc Cucurella’s hair by Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
“It’s just been fed into Jarred Gillett, the referee, that the video assistant wants to look at it.”
Upon seeing a replay, co-commentator Ally McCoist said: “Not a lot in that for me.”
Fletcher then explained the decision not to award a red was reached, but touched on the Martinez incident: “So, Paul Howard has had a look, and he’s kind of said it’s ok and he’s gone through the explanation that it was the flat of the hand,” he said.
“It’s very much en vogue at the minute this pulling hair isn’t it? We’re all talking about it at the minute after the Martinez thing.”
McCoist made his feelings on the Martinez decision clear: “Lets cover it and say Martinez was never a sending off, never a sending off,” he said.
“And that’s (the Calvert-Lewin decision) not even worth talking about, I don’t think.”
It’s not the view shared by former United full-back Gary Neville. Commentating on the Martinez decision at the time, he said: “You are not getting away with a hair-pull.”
Neville added: “Martinez is looking perplexed and confused. But a hair-pull results in a red card these days. He knew what he was doing.”
The suspension saw Martinez miss United’s 1-0 win over Chelsea last weekend. The defender will also miss Monday night’s clash against Brentford and the visit of Liverpool to Old Trafford.
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