Michael Carrick gave a blunt answer when asked about Lisandro Martinez's red card and his Manchester United flops after a brutal reaction to the defender's sending off

A furious Michael Carrick couldn't bring himself to look at Lisandro Martinez after the Manchester United defender's shocking dismissal during their dismal 2-0 defeat to Chelsea. And he gave a blunt answer when asked about the red card in his post-match interview.

Martinez, 28, picked up a second yellow card for leaping into Wesley Fofana with his arm raised at a free-kick he had himself conceded and been booked for just moments earlier after being bullied by Chelsea's opening goalscorer Morgan Rogers, who Martinez was also rubbish in attempting to defend.

Referee Peter Bankes was directed to review the incident on VAR, subsequently awarding a penalty and showing Martinez the red card. As the Argentine trudged off towards the tunnel, Carrick pointedly avoided his gaze.

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The United boss was deep in conversation with assistant Steve Holland, the pair desperately searching for a way back into the match. Cole Palmer stepped up to convert the penalty and double Chelsea's advantage, with Morgan Rogers having broken the deadlock shortly before half-time.

Carrick responded with a double substitution as Martinez headed for an early shower. TNT Sports pundit Ally McCoist tore into the 28-year-old, saying: "That's ridiculous defending, you're not on side you're just on any side and jumping into him..

"That's a penalty. He's just jumped into him to prevent a header... It's unacceptable. Lisandro Martinez just runs right across and it's absolutely crazy. He's let everyone down, his team-mates, everything."

Mark Schwarzer added on BBC Radio 5 Live: "For a defender of his level, that is just lazy. That is almost unforgivable. He leads with his arm into the face of Fofana."

When asked by TNT Sports after the game if he felt let down by Martinez after the defender was sent off, Carrick bluntly replied: "No."

Chelsea came agonisingly close to a third when Palmer teed up Estevao for a one-on-one, only for the goal to be chalked off for offside. United keeper Senne Lammens then pulled off a fine stop to deny Estevao from range, before a mammoth 10 minutes of stoppage time was signalled.

The Red Devils came within a whisker of clawing one back when Bryan Mbeumo thundered a half-volley from outside the box, only to see it crash back off the crossbar via the fingertips of Mike Penders. Chelsea kept their composure in the dying stages to seal United's ninth match without a victory.

The result heaps further pressure on Carrick, who narrowly kept his job earlier this week following a humiliating 3-0 home defeat to Bournemouth last Sunday. If at least two of Crystal Palace, Nottingham Forest, Coventry and Sunderland pick up wins, United could find themselves dragged into the relegation zone come the weekend's end.