“Told the ref…”: Leeds ace sheds light on Lisandro Martinez’s red card in United’s shock 2-1 defeat

Manchester United suffered a demoralising 2-1 home defeat at the hands of Leeds United on Monday, 13 April, in the Premier League. The Red Devils were slow off the blocks and went behind in the fifth minute when Noah Okafor found the back of the net. The Swiss international doubled the lead in the 29th minute, and the visitors went into the break with a two-goal cushion. The situation worsened further for the home side when Lisandro Martinez was shown a straight red card for violent conduct after allegedly pulling Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s hair. United, though, did get back into the game through Casemiro in the 69th minute, but it proved to be a mere consolation. The Brazilian went close to scoring the equaliser when his header was cleared off the line by Calvert-Lewin, and Leeds held on to secure all three points. The defeat dampened the spirit around Old Trafford, although the Red Devils remain third in the league table with six games left in the season. Michael Carrick’s team failed to turn up against their bitter rivals, but it was Martinez’s red card which became the talking point of the game. A controversial decision from Paul Tierney? The incident was missed by referee Paul Tierney but was picked up by VAR. Tierney was subsequently advised to review the incident, and after watching it at the pitch-side monitor, the referee decided to brandish a straight red card at Martinez. The replays suggested that the Argentine had pulled Calvert-Lewin’s hair, prompting him to fall to the ground. Martinez had only returned from a brief absence due to injury and was bewildered by the decision. Lisandro Martinez Stats: 2025/26 Season CompetitionAppearancesStartsGoalsAssistsYellow CardsRed CardsMinutes Played Premier League1510—1961′ FA Cup11—-79′ Total1611—11,040′ Source: Transfermarkt. The decision also drew criticism from Carrick at the end of the game, which turned out to be the caretaker manager’s first home defeat since taking charge in January. Calvert-Lewin has since expressed his opinion on his altercation with Martinez. No grudge against Martinez Speaking after the game, as cited by GOAL, Calvert-Lewin insisted that he holds no grudge against Martinez for pulling his hair. He said: “I don’t know, 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.” The Englishman had five shots on target but failed to get on the scoresheet. However, his second-half goal-line clearance turned out to be crucial for the visitors, helping preserve their lead and ultimately securing all three points. Calvert-Lewin went on to suggest that his clearance made up for his failure to score, adding: “I was just in the moment, switched on, engaged and waiting. Doing my job. Thankfully I was there to clear the ball off the line and arguably it make up for the ones that I should’ve put away at the other end.” United next face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, 18 April, in the Premier League, and Martinez’s absence could add to their woes. The Argentine is expected to be suspended for three games. Final Thoughts United were without Harry Maguire against Leeds United, with the player serving a suspension, and the defence looked vulnerable in his absence. INEOS’ decision to tie the Englishman down to a new deal certainly looks justified now, and fans will be desperate to have him back against the Blues. Feature image Carl Recine via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Deepungsu Pandit Deepungsu has been a Manchester United fan since 2000. In his playing days, he was an attacking midfielder with a proclivity for the back heel. Right now, however, he prefers to operate as a regista. Deepungsu has been writing about the Red Devils, Football, and other things since 2009. He has worked for over seven years with Sportskeeda, writing football reviews, opinions and news articles. Deepungsu also maintains a blog, The Thinking Me, where he writes about life and things that interest him. His favourite Manchester United player is Paul Scholes.