"One of the worst decisions I've seen."
Manager Michael Carrick (45) was furious. What he took more issue with than Manchester United's defeat was Lisandro Martínez's (28, Man Utd) sending-off.
Man Utd lost 1-2 to Leeds in the 2025-26 Premier League round 32 at Old Trafford in Manchester, England, on the 14th (KST). Man Utd, stuck on 55 points (15 wins, 10 draws, 7 losses), held third place.
They missed a chance to extend the gap over the chasing teams. Meanwhile, Leeds rose to 15th with 36 points, distancing themselves from the relegation zone.
In the 14th minute of the second half, when they trailed 0-2, Martínez pulled opponent Dominic Calvert-Lewin's hair while contesting an aerial ball and was sent off after a video assistant referee (VAR) review. Referee Paul Tierney immediately showed a red card after an on-field review. Martínez now faces the possibility of at least a three-match suspension.
According to the Manchester Evening News, Carrick strongly protested after the match. He said, "It's a truly shocking decision. One of the worst decisions I've seen."
He added, "If you look at the initial situation, Martínez got hit in the face. They were off balance and grappling with each other. It looked like he was trying to grab the shirt, but he accidentally touched the back of the hair," and asserted, "They gave a red card because a hair tie came loose. It wasn't aggressive, and he didn't pull hard. There was no sudden motion."
Carrick said, "If you send someone off for this, I'm worried where football is heading. But in the first conceded goal, Reniere Yoro was struck on the back of the head. That was judged to be okay. It's a ridiculous decision," raising his voice.
What especially angered him was the first conceded goal. He believed Yoro was struck on the head during an aerial challenge in Leeds' opening goal in the fifth minute of the first half.
Carrick said, "The first goal should not have stood. Yoro was hit hard on the back of the head. You can clearly see it on the replay. If that incident had been overturned, the flow of the game would have been completely different. The first goal and the sending-off, two decisions, both made things difficult for us."
He also hinted at a possible appeal. Carrick said, "We will have to discuss it with the club. I definitely think it was the wrong decision."
The problem is the next match. Man Utd face concerns about defensive absences in the upcoming match against Chelsea. Harry Maguire also faces potential disciplinary action for allegedly improper conduct toward the fourth official.
Carrick added, "Once things settle down today, we are still in a reasonable position. We must do our best no matter who we play. I hope Martínez can play. We'll see."
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