Lisandro Martinez: Calvert-Lewin breaks silence on United ace’s red card

Old Trafford, 13 April — Dominic Calvert-Lewin has moved to defuse the controversy that followed Lisandro Martinez’s straight red card, insisting he “holds no grudges” after the Manchester United defender was dismissed for allegedly yanking the Everton striker’s hair during United’s 2-1 loss to Leeds.

Martinez, only recently back from injury, saw his evening curtailed in the 38th minute when referee Paul Tierney, advised by VAR, upgraded the centre-back’s caution to a sending-off after reviewing pitch-side replays. The incident occurred with United already trailing 2-0, the deficit forged by Noah Okafor’s fifth-minute opener and his second strike on 29 minutes.

Speaking after the match, Calvert-Lewin told GOAL: “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 England international, who registered five shots on target without finding the net, atoned with a decisive 69th-minute goal-line clearance that denied Casemiro a dramatic equaliser moments after the Brazilian had halved the deficit. “I was just in the moment, switched on, engaged and waiting,” Calvert-Lewin said. “Doing my job. Thankfully I was there to clear the ball off the line and arguably it makes up for the ones that I should’ve put away at the other end.”

Caretaker boss Michael Carrick, overseeing his first home defeat since taking the reins in January, criticised the red-card call afterwards, but the decision stands and Martinez is now set to serve a three-match suspension. The timing is awkward: United travel to Stamford Bridge on Saturday to face Chelsea already without the suspended Harry Maguire, whose absence against Leeds left the back line exposed.

Third-placed United still occupy the final Champions League berth with six fixtures remaining, yet the defeat to their historic Yorkshire rivals has punctured the optimism generated by Carrick’s unbeaten start. The Red Devils must regroup quickly, beginning with a defensive reshuffle that will exclude their Argentine enforcer.