OFFICIAL: MU receives extremely unfavorable ruling from English Football Association

Manchester United suffers a shock as Lisandro Martinez is officially suspended for three matches, plunging the Red Devils' defense into a severe crisis during the crucial phase of the season.

Manchester United failed to overturn the red card decision for Lisandro Martinez following the incident where he pulled the hair of Leeds United forward Dominic Calvert-Lewin. Consequently, the English Football Association (FA) confirmed the three-match suspension remains, leaving interim manager Michael Carrick facing a personnel dilemma in the defensive line.

The English football governing body stated that Man United's appeal was rejected due to no "clear and obvious error" from the referee. The disciplinary panel also emphasized that Martinez's conduct was "unacceptable and must be prevented" in a professional football environment.

The Argentine defender was absent in the 1-0 victory over Chelsea and will continue to miss the matches against Brentford as well as the Northwest derby against Liverpool.

Manager Michael Carrick could not hide his disappointment with this decision, calling it one of the worst red cards he has ever witnessed. Nevertheless, the former English midfielder acknowledged that the entire team must accept reality and focus on upcoming matches.

Martinez's suspension further exacerbates the personnel crisis in Manchester United's central defense. Matthijs de Ligt has yet to play under Carrick, while Leny Yoro is in the process of recovering from injury. The rare positive news is that Harry Maguire has completed his suspension and is likely to start in the match against Brentford.

Martinez can only return to play when Manchester United visits Sunderland on May 9th. This means he will have to watch from the stands as his teammates face Brentford and Liverpool during the crucial phase of the season.

In the context of the race for European cup qualification entering the decisive stage, Carrick's task is to effectively manage the remaining defensive lineup, while hoping for positive signals regarding De Ligt's fitness condition to help the team navigate through this difficult period.