Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez was involved in an incident during the 2025/26 season, which has now prompted the Premier League to make a major rule change. Martinez incident In April, Martinez was shown a red card as United fell to a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Leeds United. Martinez was given his marching orders after referee Paul Tierney judged that he had tugged the hair of Dominic Calvert-Lewin while the pair were engaged in a duel. In real time, there was nothing. Then the game stopped, and Tierney dashed to the pitchside monitor to look at the incident. Martinez looked bewildered as he made his way off the pitch. Replays strongly suggested that Martinez only made contact with Calvert-Lewin’s hair, enough to undo his bun, rather than any deliberate or forceful hair pull. After the final whistle, a fuming Michael Carrick branded the decision “one of the worst” he had ever seen. United appealed the decision but they were unsuccessful. Martinez subsequently served a three-match ban. Carrick further said, “It’s not a pull, it’s not a tug, it’s not aggressive, he touches it and gets sent off. Worst of all is he was sent to overturn it as a clear and obvious error. It’s shocking. He’s off-balance because of that, he half touches the back of his hair which pulls the bobble out and leads it to look like – I don’t even know what it looks like.” Now, the BBC report that the Premier League have changed how they judge hair pulling next season. Rule change Dale Johnson writes, “Officials will also be asked to place a greater emphasis on grappling and holding inside the area after it became commonplace on corners and set-pieces.” It’s understood that this modification was agreed at the Premier League AGM earlier this month after consultation with the game improvement advisory group. Apart from Martinez, Everton’s Michael Keane and Sunderland star Dan Ballard were all shown red in 2025/26 for hair-pulling. The managers of the two teams were equally frustrated, much like Carrick. Johnson adds, “However, the new guidance does not mean hair pulling will suddenly be tolerated. Referees will be told to look for a ‘clear and deliberate action’ which has ‘excessive force and/or brutality.’ It’s said that Martinez’s red card would be considered a borderline case and therefore open to interpretation. Featured 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 Derick Kinoti Derick Kinoti is a football writer at The Peoples Person who has covered Manchester United and the Premier League extensively for years. His work blends sharp analysis, tactical insight, and engaging storytelling that resonates with fans around the world. Derick has gained valuable experience in football journalism, developing strong expertise in SEO writing, digital content creation, and social media engagement. A tech enthusiast with a Computer Science degree from the University of Nairobi, he ultimately swapped code for football commentary, bringing an analytical, detail-oriented approach to his writing. Derick is convinced Wayne Rooney is the true GOAT and won’t hear otherwise!
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