In the 55th minute of the match at Old Trafford on the evening of 13/4, Martinez jumped to challenge striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin. As he landed, the Man Utd center-back reached forward, grabbing the opponent's tied hair. Referee Paul Tierney initially did not see the incident, but after consulting with VAR John Brooks, he reviewed the monitor pitchside and decided to issue a direct red card for violent conduct.

This decision immediately sparked controversy. Martinez looked visibly stunned as he left the pitch, with Man Utd already trailing 0-2 after Noah Okafor's first-half brace.

The incident where Lisandro Martinez received a red card during Leeds' victory over Man Utd at Old Trafford, Manchester, in their Premier League matchday 32 game on the evening of 13/4. Photo: *Reuters*

Commenting on Sky Sports, Carragher argued that the incident was not serious enough for a dismissal. "He jumps for the ball and is almost grappling", he said. "When he lands, Martinez tries to grab onto something and accidentally touches the opponent's hair. I don't think any fan, player, or coach watching live would believe that was a red card".

After the match, coach Michael Carrick reacted strongly, calling it one of the worst decisions he had ever seen. The 44-year-old coach explained that Martinez was only trying to regain his balance after contact, not intending foul play. "There was no strong pull or aggressive act. That made the situation look worse than it was", Carrick stated.

Even Roy Keane, known for his harsh views on his former club Man Utd, acknowledged the harshness of the decision, though he suggested the referee could cite the law to defend it. "That situation could be considered violent, and we have seen similar red cards. But clearly, this decision was quite harsh", Keane commented.

The incident where Martinez pulled Calvert-Lewin's hair during an aerial challenge. Photo: *Screenshot*

This Premier League season has seen a similar case when Michael Keane (Everton) was sent off for pulling Tolu Arokodare's hair. At the time, Everton's appeal was unsuccessful, and they expressed disappointment with the sanction. New regulations allow referees to deal strictly with actions involving contact with an opponent's hair if determined to be intentional and forceful.

Gary Neville, a former Man Utd defender, also emphasized that under the rules, hair pulling can certainly be deemed violent conduct. "He knows what he is doing. Hair-pulling incidents now often lead to red cards", he remarked.

However, Carragher argued that the law should not be applied mechanically. "The question is always what the game needs", the former Liverpool defender added. "Nobody looks at that situation and thinks: 'That's a red card'. Sometimes there needs to be flexibility instead of just relying on the letter of the law. Martinez only pulled Calvert-Lewin's hair for only about half a second".

Martinez's red card forced Man Utd to play with one less player for over 30 minutes. With ten men, the Old Trafford side could only reduce the deficit to 1-2 thanks to Casemiro's goal in the 69th minute, following a cross from Bruno Fernandes. Despite pressing hard in the final minutes, they could not find an equalizer, accepting defeat.

If their appeal is unsuccessful, Martinez will be suspended for three matches, missing encounters against Chelsea, Brentford, and Liverpool. In return, Man Utd will welcome back center-back Harry Maguire after his suspension for the match against Chelsea on the evening of 18/4.

Hoang An (according to Independent)