Man Utd defender Lisandro Martinez faces calls for extended ban
Lisandro Martinez is facing calls for an extended suspension after former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher and pundit Jay Bothroyd condemned his sending-off in Manchester United’s defeat to Chelsea.
The Argentina international caught Chelsea defender Wesley Fofana with a high elbow inside the penalty area during the second half at Stamford Bridge. Referee Peter Bankes initially missed the incident, but VAR intervened to send him to the pitchside monitor, leading to a penalty for Chelsea and a second yellow card for Martinez.
Pundits condemn reckless elbow
Cole Palmer converted the penalty to put Chelsea 2-0 up, handing United their third consecutive loss and leaving Michael Carrick’s team sitting 17th in the Premier League table after nine games.
Analyzing the incident on Sky Sports’ Ref Watch, Dermot Gallagher said:
“Perfect process. [The] referee didn’t pick it up on the field. Definitely a reckless challenge. Look how far Martinez goes. Never once looks at the ball.”
Former striker Jay Bothroyd went even further during the broadcast, arguing that the challenge deserved harsher punishment than a standard one-match ban for two bookings.
Speaking on Sky Sports, Bothroyd said:
“I look at that and I’m saying, ‘That’s violent conduct,’ because you can hurt someone putting your elbows to their face. To me, that’s more violent conduct than [some of these other incidents].”
Carrick defends defender’s commitment
The dismissal caps a difficult period for Martinez, who previously publicly criticised United sporting director Jason Wilcox and the club’s transfer business following their European loss to Atletico Madrid. With his contract expiring at the end of the season, questions have been raised about his long-term future at Old Trafford.
However, manager Michael Carrick firmly rejected suggestions that the 28-year-old center-back lacks focus or desire.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Carrick said:
“I’ve got no concerns about commitment at all. Things happen in football. Sometimes you do things, sometimes you make a decision, sometimes you make mistakes, sometimes goes well for you. But the commitment is not an issue for sure.”
Carrick also dismissed claims that the dressing room atmosphere has deteriorated despite recent explosive interviews from squad members, including club captain Bruno Fernandes.
Addressing reporters, Carrick said:
“The dressing room is a good, good place, so perceptions are a funny thing. They can make things look all sorts of different ways and think about all sorts of different things. The commitment of the players to the club, to me, to each other – I don’t question that at all.”
European fixture up next
While Martinez is suspended for Sunday’s Premier League clash against Aston Villa at Old Trafford, he remains available for selection when United host Roma in the Champions League on Tuesday night.
Carrick confirmed that Luke Shaw remains sidelined until the international break, while Danish defender Patrick Dorgu has returned to training but will not feature against the Italian side.
