Fans stunned as Martinez escapes red card for ‘brutal attack’ on Cole Palmer

ENZO MARESCA and Gary Neville joined football fans in voicing their surprise at the decision not to send off Lisandro Martinez for his challenge on Cole Palmer.

Manchester United and Chelsea played out a drab 1-1 draw at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon.

In stoppage time, Red Devils defender Martinez lunged into a tackle with Blues playmaker Palmer and caught him on the knee.

Referee Robert Jones booked the Argentinian for the poorly-timed challenge, before a VAR review came up on the Sky Sports coverage.

But the review quickly ended as the VAR deemed a caution to be a sufficient punishment.

Yet Manchester United icon Neville, who was commentating on the game, admitted: "When you go that high I think you're asking for a red card. I think he's lucky.

"When you go knee-high and the ball's gone, I think it's a red."

While Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca said: "I think there is not intention to take the ball and the foul is quite dangerous."

He went on to add "it is quite clear it is a red".

The official Premier League Match Centre channel explained the decision on X, saying: "The referee issued a yellow card to Martinez for a challenge on Palmer.

"VAR checked for a potential red card and confirmed the referee’s call of no red card, deeming that it was a reckless challenge and not serious foul play."

But fans remained adamant the tackle was deserving of a red.

One described it as a "brutal attack," while another added: "Bro how is that not a red 😭😭."

A third replied: "Literal definition of a red."

And a fourth responded: "How can that not be a red card? Doesn’t matter if he slips as it’s still dangerous."