Lisandro Martinez Banned for Three Matches After Hair-Pulling Incident

Lisandro Martínez has been handed a three-match suspension after being sent off for pulling the hair of Leeds United striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin during Manchester United’s Premier League fixture at Old Trafford on Monday, April 13, 2026.

The incident occurred in the 56th minute when Martínez, attempting to stop Calvert-Lewin in an off-the-ball situation, grabbed the striker’s hair. Referee Paul Tierney initially did not intervene but was advised by the video assistant referee (VAR) to review the incident on the pitchside monitor. After the review, Tierney announced a red card for violent conduct, stating: “After review, Manchester United 6 is guilty of pulling his hair – violent conduct. Final decision is red card.”

Martínez, 28, was making his first Premier League start for United since recovering from a calf injury, having last started in the 1-1 draw against West Ham on February 10, 2026. The dismissal marked the second consecutive league game in which a United defender was sent off, following Harry Maguire’s red card in the 2-2 draw at Bournemouth before the international break.

The Premier League Match Centre confirmed the decision on X (formerly Twitter), stating: “After VAR review, the referee issued a red card to Martinez for violent conduct.” The red card triggers an automatic three-match suspension under Premier League disciplinary rules, meaning Martínez will miss United’s upcoming fixtures, including the Saturday trip to Chelsea.

Manchester United manager Michael Carrick described the decision as a “shocking decision” in his post-match comments, expressing disbelief at the severity of the punishment for the incident. Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville, commenting on Sky Sports, said Martínez appeared “perplexed and confused” by the red card, questioning what he had done wrong.

The incident has reignited debate over the consistency of VAR interventions for hair-pulling incidents in the Premier League. In August 2022, Tottenham defender Cristian Romero pulled Chelsea’s Marc Cucurella by the hair during a match, but VAR official Mike Dean did not intervene, leading to criticism that the standard had been applied inconsistently. Since that incident, a zero-tolerance approach has been adopted, with any definitive evidence of hair pulling resulting in a VAR review and subsequent red card for violent conduct.

BBC Sport’s Match of the Day pundit Alan Shearer criticised the ruling, stating on BBC Breakfast: “Never a red card, not in the Premier League,” and warned that such decisions could signal a problematic direction for the game if hair pulling continues to be classified as violent conduct warranting a three-match ban.

Everton manager David Moyes had previously expressed similar views in January 2026, calling it “ridiculous” that Michael Keane was sent off for pulling the hair of Wolves’ Tolu Arokodare, suggesting the punishment often does not match the nature of the offence.

Manchester United have appealed the three-match ban, but as of the latest reports, the suspension remains upheld, leaving the club facing a defensive crisis with both Martínez and Maguire unavailable for selection in upcoming matches.