According to a report by Manchester Evening News on Saturday, October 31, 2026, the Premier League has officially clarified the decision to award Chelsea a penalty and send off Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez during their recent encounter, dealing another blow to Michael Carrick.

Manchester United were already behind 1-0 at Stamford Bridge following Morgan Rogers' second-half goal. With pressure continuing to build on Carrick, Martinez's costly disciplinary error further weakened the visitors' chances of getting back into the contest.

The Argentine defender, who had already been booked earlier in the match, challenged Wesley Fofana during an aerial duel inside the penalty area. Martinez jumped into his opponent without making a genuine attempt to play the ball.

Referee Peter Bankes initially allowed the game to continue because he failed to spot the infringement. However, following an intervention from the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), he was advised to review the incident on the pitchside monitor and reconsider his original decision.

After examining the footage, Bankes awarded Chelsea a penalty and issued Martinez a second yellow card, resulting in his dismissal. The defender protested angrily against the decision, but the referee stood by his verdict, leaving Manchester United with just 10 players.

The Premier League's Match Centre account later released an official explanation on X, outlining why the referee changed his initial decision following the VAR review.

The statement explained that after reviewing the footage, the referee overturned his original decision not to award a penalty to Chelsea and showed Martinez a second yellow card for a reckless challenge.

VAR officials also questioned the defender's intention during the aerial challenge, arguing that he made no genuine effort to reach the ball and instead jumped directly into his opponent with his arm leading the contact.

Following the review, Bankes maintained that Martinez's action constituted a reckless challenge, confirming both the penalty decision and the defender's dismissal.

Cole Palmer subsequently stepped up and calmly converted the spot-kick, extending Chelsea's advantage against their struggling opponents.

Manchester United's numerical disadvantage made their attempts to recover from the deficit increasingly difficult, leaving Carrick facing further criticism following another disappointing result.

Martinez's red card has added to the growing pressure surrounding Carrick's future, with uncertainty continuing to surround Manchester United's managerial situation at Old Trafford.