Joe Cole thinks Lisandro Martinez’s time at Man Utd is “done” after he was sent off in the Red Devils’ 2-0 loss to Chelsea.
The Red Devils put in a good first-half performance against the Blues with Michael Carrick’s side unlucky not to go in ahead at the break.
However, Chelsea came out stronger in the second half with Morgan Rogers opening the scoring just five minutes after the half-time interval.
Martinez was booked twice within four minutes as the Man Utd defender was sent off on 63 minutes, with his second booking given for recklessly going in on Wesley Fofana in the penalty area.
The Argentina international wasn’t even looking at the ball with a moment of madness costing his side another goal too as Cole Palmer converted the penalty.
Reacting immediately to Martinez being red carded, Cole said on TNT Sports: “I’m lost for words because you’d think there’s been clearing the air conversations with the manager and now he goes and does something like this?”
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Chelsea legend Cole later added on the Man Utd centre-back: “I’m still trying to come to terms with the Lisandro Martinez sending off. I don’t know what his thinking was.
“Whatever the next Man United phase is, I think Martinez’s time at the club has run its course.
“In a Man United shirt, he’s just at the scene of the crime too often. I think that’s his time done.”
Former Premier League assistant referee Darren Cann has described Martinez’s challenge on Fofana during the loss to Chelsea as “inexplicable”.
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Cann said: “Lisandro Martinez made an ” challenge on Wesley Fofana, jumping into him, making no attempt to play the ball and not even looking at the ball as it came in from the corner.
“Martinez’s reckless challenge earnt him a deserved yellow card and as he had been booked four minutes before for another clear foul on Morgan Rogers, Martinez was rightly sent off for two bookable offences, as well as conceding a needless penalty for the reckless challenge on Fofana.”
Summing up Man Utd’s performance at Stamford Bridge, Sky Sports reporter Pete Gill said: “The outcome of this match could, and should, have been very different had Amad and Fernandes taken any of their first-half chances.
“But United have been woeful since the break and the overarching stats dont lie – nine matches without a win, just two victories all season.
“Carrick is, once again, under huge pressure, but so too is the football club because Manchester United are in grave danger of falling into the relegation zone later today. Even if they don’t, it’s hard not to argue that they are in a relegation fight.”
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