The PGMOL, the refereeing organization for English football, has clarified why Lisandro Martinez did not receive a red card for his tackle on Cole Palmer during Sunday’s match between Manchester United and Chelsea.
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Although the game in Manchester was largely unremarkable, a key moment emerged in stoppage time when referee Robert Jones faced a difficult decision.
With only a minute left, United’s Lisandro Martinez made contact with Cole Palmer’s knee, his studs raised.
VAR official Michael Salisbury reviewed the incident but, to many people’s surprise, chose not to escalate the booking to a red card.
Following the incident, the Premier League Match Centre issued a statement about the decision.
“The referee issued a yellow card to Martinez for a challenge on Palmer,” they said. “VAR checked for a potential red card and confirmed the referee’s call of no red card, deeming that it was a reckless challenge and not serious foul play.”
Roy Keane, meanwhile, claimed Martinez was “very lucky” to stay on the pitch.
Here’s how fans on social media reacted to Martinez’s challenge on Chelsea’s Palmer.
One said: “How did Lisandro Martínez escape a red card here? The inconsistency in this league is baffling,” while another wrote: “How did he get away with it?”
A third commented: “Lisandro Martínez’s biggest asset as a player: Avoiding red cards that in literally any other scenario would be a straight expulsion.”
A fourth wrote: “Lisandro Martínez should’ve been shown a straight red,” and a fifth added: “It’s the same as Bruno’s against Spurs that wasn’t a red now all of a sudden they’re campaigning for it to be a red.”
