Manchester United manager Michael Carrick has voiced out his displeasure over the decision made by VAR during the Red Devils loss to Leeds United.
Leeds secured their first league victory at Old Trafford since 1981, dealing Carrick his first home defeat as United manager. Noah Okafor scored a first-half brace as Leeds held on to a famous win despite Casemiro pulling one goal following a Lisandro Martinez red card.
Following the game, Carrick spoke about two pivotal moments, starting with an unpunished forearm challenge on Leny Yoro in the build-up to Leeds’ opener.
However, his sharpest criticism was reserved for the decision to dismiss Martinez for a hair-pull on Dominic Calvert-Lewin following a VAR review.
English referee Paul Tierney watches a hair-pulling incident involving Lisandro Martinez and Dominic Calvert-Lewin. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP via Getty Images) /
Speaking to Sky Sports about the officiating consistency and the red card incident, Carrick said: “We didn’t start the game particularly well. We obviously conceded when Leny Yoro gets a forearm smash in the back of the head and they score the first goal.
“They didn’t decide to overturn that decision. That was a big moment in the game. We didn’t quite have the rhythm, we didn’t click, we had some moments but it wasn’t quite there for large parts of the first half.
“But second half, I thought the boys the way they went about it, stayed positive and fought to get something out of it after another shocking, shocking decision to send [Lisandro Martinez] off. Two games in a row we’ve had decisions like that go against us but that one was one of the worst I’ve seen.”
On Martinez red card, Carrick argued that the contact was accidental and lacked the aggression required for a straight red card, particularly after a VAR intervention.
Carrick added: “You can elbow Leny Yoro for the first goal, leaning arm obviously, you can throw your arm in Martinez’s face and then as he’s off balance because of that, he’s half grappling, he half touches the back of his hair which pulls the bobble to come out.
“I don’t even know what it looks like. It’s not a pull, it’s not a tug, it’s not aggressive. He touches it and he gets send off. Worse of all, he gets sent to overturn it, a clear and obvious error. Shocking.”
Man United will now prepare for a tricky tie against Chelsea on Saturday without the suspended Martinez.
Carrick’s side currently sit third in the Premier League on 55 points, seven ahead of sixth-placed Chelsea, who suffered a 3-0 home defeat to Manchester City on Sunday.
