Premier League Explains Why Lisandro Martinez Escaped Red Card After Tackle on Cole Palmer

• Manchester United vs Chelsea witnessed a controversial ending to an enthralling encounter at Old Trafford
• While Sunday's game ended in a 1-1 draw, United's Lisandro Martinez narrowly escaped a red card
• But the Premier League has justified why referee Robert Jones opted against giving Martinez his marching orders

Lisandro Martinez narrowly escaped a red card after his aggressive tackle on Chelsea's Cole Palmer in Sunday’s clash, sparking debate around the officiating decision.

The Premier League has since released a statement, defending referee Robert Jones’ judgment not to send off the Manchester United defender. This decision ignited a flurry of reactions among fans and analysts.

Man United, Chelsea split points

Martinez partnered with Matthijs de Ligt in United’s central defence as the Red Devils sought to secure crucial points under interim manager Ruud Van Nistelrooy.

Read also

Antonio Rudiger goes flying in on Kylian Mbappe with wild tackle in video

According to the Mirror, Bruno Fernandes scored through a penalty in the 70th minute, giving United a slim advantage.

Reactions to the post:

Here are some of the responses from fans.

@the_berneese_:

"Lasted for only 3 mins."

@UTDXMancunian:

"We couldn't even finish celebrating."

@Lfc_darian:

"This was not a penalty, he dived."

@GwamakaV_200:

"Amazing move by Hojlund."

@endeavor_0:

"Bruno Fernandes capitalizing on the penalty puts Manchester United ahead against Chelsea."

Yet, just moments later, Chelsea's Moises Caicedo struck back with a quick equaliser, restoring balance to the fiercely contested game, per The Independent.

Lisandro Martinez's reckless tackle

However, the game's most contentious moment came in the third minute of injury time. Martinez raised his foot to challenge for possession and caught Palmer studs-up on the knee—a challenge that sent the ball flying, with no contact from Martinez.

Read also

Man Utd assistant coach lifts lid on Erik ten Hag's reaction to sacking

Despite the force of the tackle, Jones opted for a yellow card, judging it reckless but not worthy of a sending-off.

Why Martinez escaped a red card, Premier League explains

VAR official Michael Salisbury reviewed the incident and upheld the referee’s original decision, declining to escalate it to a red card.

Addressing the controversy, the Premier League explained in a statement:

“The referee issued a yellow card to Martinez for a challenge on Palmer.

"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.”

Couple wed at Old Trafford

Before the highly anticipated Premier League showdown, Briefly News reported a viral video of a young couple exchanging vows at Manchester United's iconic Old Trafford stadium.

The picturesque moment, which took place on Friday, 1 November, saw the couple embrace a unique football-themed twist for their special day, sparking admiration among fans online.

Source: YEN.com.gh