Michael Carrick slammed the decision to send Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez off for pulling Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s hair as “shocking” and “one of the worst” he had ever seen.
The Argentina defender was shown a straight red card by referee Paul Tierney in his side’s 2-1 defeat following a VAR review.
But Carrick argued that while Martinez touched the Leeds striker’s hair, it was not aggressive and should not constitute violent conduct.
And the usually mild-manner Carrick, who had been aggrieved at the officiating in the 2-2 draw at Bournemouth, was outspoken in his criticisms.
He said: “I thought the boys stayed positive and fought for everything in the second half, after a shocking decision to send Licha [Martinez] off. That’s two games in a row we’ve had those decisions go against us, but that one was one of the worst I’ve seen.
“The red card, that is really concerning. I know he touched his hair. There is a difference to really aggressively touching it. The arm in the face of Lisandro and he is off balance and grappling. He goes to touch his shirt and gets a red card for it.”
Martinez, making his first appearance for two months, was dismissed after 55 minutes and is set to miss the Premier League matches against Chelsea, Brentford and Liverpool as he faces a three-match ban.
Carrick said United are considering appealing against the red card, adding: “I am going to have to discuss it but I think it is a bad decision.”
Carrick was also annoyed that Leeds’ fifth-minute opener, scored by Noah Okafor, stood as he accused Calvert-Lewin of fouling Leny Yoro in the build-up.
“Leny Yoro gets a forearm smash in the back of the head,” he said. “I don’t know how that doesn’t get overturned. That first goal shouldn’t stand.”
Calvert-Lewin said he had told referee Paul Tierney when Martinez tugged his hair, explaining: “I don’t make the rules. I felt my hair get pulled, told the ref, he makes the decisions. Unfortunate for him, whether he’s meant it or not. I hold no grudges.”
