Man United confirm Lisandro Martínez’s fate after red card appeal
By Luke Oluoch, April 17, 2026Manchester United coach Michael Carrick has confirmed that defender Lisandro Martinez will not be available for the team’s next clash against Chelsea on Saturday, April 18, 2026.
The Argentine center-back received a red card for violent conduct after pulling Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s hair during Monday, April 13, 2026’s, loss to Leeds United.
Carrick on Licha’s redcard
After the match, Carrick called the decision ‘one of the worst he has seen’ and reiterated the comments while speaking to the press on Friday, April 17, 2026.
“We are obviously disappointed. We did not agree with the outcome. Pretty obvious, as I said after the game, and I still feel the same way,” he stated.
He further decried his team being on the brunt of some refereeing decisions against them, acknowledging that the team only has to cope with them.
“I do not want to go into it. It is what it is. We have been hit with some decisions. The decisions have been made, something that we are really disappointed with in many ways, but we’ve got to move on now, and that’s what we’ll do,” he stated.
The news adds to United’s selection headache as the club still has defender Harry Maguire out suspended, while Matthijs de Ligt is working on his return from injury, along with Danish versatile ace Patrick Dorgu.
Maguire was suspended following a straight red against Bournemouth before the international break, when he brought down Evanilson in the box, but received an additional match ban for comments made to the fourth official as he left the pitch.
The Premier League encounter, set for a 10:00 pm kickoff at Old Trafford, will mark United’s second match since their 2-2 stalemate away to Bournemouth on March 20, 2026.
On a positive note, the coach confirmed the availability of stars such as Mason Mount and Ayden Heaven.
“The break: it has actually worked in our favour in some ways, in terms of getting players back,” Carrick said.
“Mason’s in and around it as well, in training, and he’s had that period of time to build that up. To have Licha in and around it again is good. Obviously, Harry’s going to miss the game, so we’ve got Licha back around it, with Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven, and we just want to get stronger as a group. So that’s part of this, trying to use that to do that this week.”