Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez may have been a little fortunate to complete the match against Crystal Palace.
With injuries beginning to clear up for Manchester United, the last thing Erik ten Hag needs would be a key player picking up a three-match suspension.
He may have got a little lucky, with Lisandro Martinez evading serious punishment for a two-footed challenge on Daichi Kamada, in Manchester United’s 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace.
Martinez was issued with a booking for a late challenge on Kamada on the edge of the Crystal Palace box.
- READ MORE: Who is Lisandro Martinez? Step inside the life of Manchester United’s tenacious Argentine
Lisandro Martinez backed
Lisandro Martinez left the ground two-footed and came down dangerously. The referee judged the defender had committed a foul – but not enough to warrant a red card.
United’s players are often held to an unfair standard of scrutiny – but on Talksport there was one voice who actually backed the decision the referee made over the Argentine defender – even though he slammed his challenge as ‘terrible’.
Former Chelsea player Jason Cundy said: “It’s not a red for me. It’s an ugly tackle. He hasn’t made contact. I don’t think it’s enough for a red, I don’t think it is.
“It’s terrible, but he makes no contact with the ball, hardly any, makes no contact with the player. That has to come into it.
“He jumps up with both feet in the air, knees bent, and he comes stamping down in front of the ball. I can’t remember who the player was, but if his foot is on the other side of the ball, it’s a straight red. He doesn’t make contact with the player, and I think that has to be considered.
“The only reason he gets away with it is because he makes no contact with the player. It’s really odd, actually strange, almost amateurish. It’s a terrible tackle.”
Martinez and Manchester United leave frustrated
Manchester United left Selhurst Park with a point, and were frustrated to do so. United were the better team for most of the game, and just struggled in front of goal.
In the first half both Alejandro Garnacho and Bruno Fernandes hit the bar in the same sequence, while Dean Henderson made another terrific save from the Argentine.
United’s performance dipped after Joshua Zirkzee was substituted off, losing control of the game, and Palace had a handful of late chances.
Andre Onana made an excellent double save, and Eberechi Eze slotted a late chance narrowly wide.
If Martinez had been sent off then it could have got uglier for United, and despite the disappointment of just claiming a draw – it could quite easily have been a defeat, with a costly suspension.
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