Michael Carrick, Bruno Fernandes reaction — Shock at red card in Manchester United home loss to Leeds
Michael Carrick oversaw the first home loss of this tenure as Manchester United boss as Leeds United won a league fixture at Old Trafford for the first time in nearly 50 years.
And the boss as well as his captain Bruno Fernandes were left upset by the loss and angry with referee Paul Tierney for a sending-off of Lisandro Martinez. Fernandes talked about it after saying he didn’t want to get in trouble and Carrick called the decision “one of the worst I’ve seen.”
MORE — Man Utd v Leeds recap, video highlights
Carrick left Bryan Mbeumo and Diogo Dalot out of the Starting XI and was also without Harry Maguire, and a Lisandro Martinez red card before the hour mark complicated the home fans’ hopes of a comeback (though they would get a goal from Casemiro to make things interesting for the final half-hour).
Leeds last won away to Man United in 1981, and this was a stunning start for Carrick’s men as they allowed a first-half brace to Noah Okafor.
Michael Carrick reaction to shock Manchester United home loss to Leeds at Old Trafford
What happened tonight? “We didn’t start the game particularly well. We conceded which Leny Yoro gets a forearm smashed in the back of his head and then they score the first goal. They didn’t decide to overturn that decision so 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 quit there for the first half. The second half the way boys fought after another shocking, shocking decision to send Licha off. It’s two games in a row we’ve had decision like that go against us but that one I have to say is one of the worst I’ve seen.”
Why did the red card shock you? “You can elbow Leny Yoro for the first goal in the side of the head. You can throw your arm in Licha’s face and as he’s off-balance because of that he’s half-grappling and came and touches the back of his hair and pulls the bauble out, which then leads to look like — 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 sent off. And worse he was also sent to overturn it. It’s not a clear and obvious error. Shocking.”
Happy with the 10-man effort? “The boys went for it. It’s football. Sometimes you don’t have good spells. You know we can do better and we’ll look at it.”
Bruno Fernandes reaction
Thoughts on the game? “We knew they wanted to press us 1v1. We had to be better on the first ball and even better on the second. We weren’t great. We gave too much space away and went 2-nil down.
On the long break between games: “It is what it is. We had off for the FA Cup so we have ourselves to blame to be out of the game for so long. We have to prepare ourselves in the best way. We did it.
On Lisandro Martinez’s red card, referee Paul Tierney: “I’m not talking about the referee. If I talk about the ref, I’m going to get in very big trouble because the rules are different and applied different for everyone. The difference in yellow cards, you can also see it. It’s better that I don’t say anything.”
How does this match affect your team? “It doesn’t change anything we want to achieve. Our aim is to stay in the top four. It’s all by our side. If we win games we’ll be in the position we want to be at the end of the season.”
Lisandro Martinez red card for hair pull of Dominic Calvert-Lewin (video)
Martinez sent off for pulling Calvert-Lewin’s hair
Things go from bad to worse for Manchester United after Lisandro Martinez is shown a red card for violent conduct after pulling Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s hair.
