Chelsea beat 10-man Manchester United at Stamford Bridge, with Lisandro Martinez’s sending-off turning the match and adding to the pressure on United head coach Michael Carrick.
Martinez walked to the tunnel slowly and silently, with the whistles and jeers of the Chelsea fans ringing in his ears. United coach Jonny Evans had a brief word with him, but Martinez paid no attention.
As a player, Martinez has reached the heights. He was part of the Argentina squad that won the World Cup in 2022 and reached the final last summer. At Stamford Bridge, however, when Carrick needed his side to step up and his senior players to set an example, the 28-year-old did the opposite.
Eighteen days after Martinez criticised United’s summer recruitment, he suffered a meltdown that will leave many United fans questioning the club’s decision not to move the former Ajax defender on from Old Trafford.
Two fouls in 83 seconds
The former Ajax defender had been part of a much-improved United performance, and Carrick’s team should have been ahead at half-time. Even when Morgan Rogers gave the hosts a second-half lead, the visiting fans believed a comeback was possible.
Instead, in the space of one minute and 23 seconds, Martinez committed two fouls that left United 2-0 down and playing with 10 men. Chelsea then cruised to victory. However this period unfolds, Martinez’s recklessness is unlikely to be forgotten.
It was noticeable that Carrick did not look at Martinez as he left the pitch. He focused instead on working out a plan with assistant Steve Holland to get through the rest of the game.
Asked afterwards whether he felt let down by Martinez, Carrick said he had not yet watched the incident again. “I’ve not seen it back, so I don’t know if it was or not,” Carrick said, adding: “It’s a big moment in the game.”
He continued: “The second goal and losing a man at that stage had a big influence on it, for sure.”
Sending-off confirmed after review
Martinez, already on a booking, chose the moment Estevao swung over the corner to try to block Wesley Fofana at the far post. In the process, he raised his elbow and caught the defender in the face. The incident was missed in real time, but video assistant referee James Bell advised referee Peter Bankes to check the screen, and the obvious conclusion was reached.
World Cup final official Darren Cann described Martinez’s actions as “inexplicable”. “He jumped into him, making no attempt to play the ball and not even looking at the ball as it came in from the corner,” Cann said. “Martinez was rightly sent off for two bookable offences, as well as conceding a needless penalty for the reckless challenge on Fofana.”
United avoided a third successive three-goal defeat, a first for the club since 1961, thanks to a tight VAR decision that ruled out Estevao’s effort for offside. Martinez will now serve a suspension for next Sunday’s Premier League match against Aston Villa at Old Trafford.
Pundits call for action
Former England and Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock said United were still in a decent position at 1-0 down. “At 2-0 and down to 10 men, effectively the game is over,” Warnock said. “If the player sent off holds his hands up and says ‘sorry, boys, I’ve let you down’ it can defuse the situation, but the issue is that Martinez is making mistake after mistake at the moment.”
Former Chelsea and England midfielder Joe Cole was more blunt on TNT Sports. “In a Man United shirt, he’s just at the scene of the crime too often,” Cole said. “Whatever the next Man United phase is, I think Martinez’s time at the club has run its course.”
Former England midfielder Danny Murphy was equally scathing on radio. “Lisandro Martinez has got a lot to answer to, because the first goal was mainly his fault. The sending-off is absolutely ridiculous,” Murphy said. “Obviously, he is going to apologise in the dressing room, but his mindset is not right to play. You can’t rely on him. He is a liability.”
Asked whether he would select Martinez again, Murphy said: “No, I wouldn’t, only because he looks like he has already gone. His head isn’t right. He is not going to be there long term, that is evident. Michael has got to make some big decisions. You can’t have a liability in your team. That petulance, that behaviour on the pitch is not acceptable. He has been poor for a while and he has had injury problems. He is not the answer.”
United’s wider struggles
If Martinez’s actions were inexcusable, United were already losing when they were reduced to 10 men, and Carrick deserves some sympathy for that. In the first half, United were far better than they had been in their three-goal defeats to Como and Bournemouth. They were determined, concentrated and focused. They were not clinical, though.
Four excellent chances came and went. Bruno Fernandes and Amad both blazed off target when they should have done much better. Chelsea goalkeeper Mike Penders made two excellent saves, and even late on, Bryan Mbeumo’s blistering shot could not find the net.
United are now nine games without a win in all competitions, their worst run since 1988-89. They are teetering on the brink of the relegation zone for the first time since Sir Alex Ferguson’s early days. On Tuesday they welcome Serie A side Roma to Old Trafford, needing a win to keep their Champions League qualification hopes alive.
“There’s no words I’m going to explain to you now that makes any difference,” Carrick said. “It’s not going to change it. We’ve got to move forward and win football matches, it’s as simple as that. The way they went about it and played, the quality of football and the way we played in the first half definitely gives encouragement, and we’ve got to take that.”