Martínez Red Card Appeal Rejected: Three-Match Ban Stands for Man United Defender

Manchester United's attempt to overturn Lisandro Martínez's red card has been unsuccessful. The Football Association confirmed on Thursday that the three-match suspension for violent conduct will stand, dealing a blow to manager Michael Carrick's defensive plans.

The Argentine centre-back was sent off for pulling Dominic Calvert-Lewin's hair during United's 2-1 home loss to Everton on April 13. Carrick, who called the decision "one of the worst I've ever seen" following a subsequent defeat to Leeds, saw the club submit a formal appeal that included a letter from United's secretary and three video clips as supporting evidence.

The regulatory commission, comprised of former Premier League official Steve Bennett, ex-professional Stuart Ripley, and former Southampton defender Francis Benali, unanimously rejected the appeal. To succeed, United needed to demonstrate an "obvious error" by match officials — a threshold they failed to meet.

In their ruling, the commission stated that Martínez "grasped" Calvert-Lewin's hair and that the Everton forward's reaction indicated genuine force was applied. Therefore, the referee's interpretation of the VAR footage fell within reasonable bounds and could not be classified as a clear mistake.

Consistency argument falls short

United presented an intriguing comparison involving Fulham's Kenny Tete, who committed a similar hair-pulling incident in February without receiving a red card. While the commission acknowledged the submission, they determined that inconsistency in officiating decisions doesn't constitute proof of an obvious error in Martínez's case.

The panel also addressed the severity of the punishment, admitting that hair-pulling sits on the lower end of the violent conduct spectrum. However, they emphasized it "ought not to be tolerated" and "should be discouraged through consistent punishment," justifying the three-match ban.

Martínez already missed last weekend's victory over Chelsea. He'll be unavailable for the trip to Brentford on April 27 and Liverpool's visit on May 3, before becoming eligible again for the Sunderland match on May 9.

The timing is unfortunate but manageable. United's position in the race for Champions League qualification has strengthened following Chelsea's recent struggles, with two wins from their final five matches likely enough to secure a top-five finish. Harry Maguire has returned from his own two-game suspension, and youngster Ayden Heaven showed promise against Chelsea, providing Carrick with alternative options.

Nevertheless, being without a defender of Martínez's calibre against Liverpool — a fixture already presenting significant defensive challenges — represents a considerable setback. With the appeal exhausted, United must adapt. As Carrick stated before the Chelsea match: "It is what it is. We have to accept it and move on."