Manchester United's turbulent season took another dramatic turn at Old Trafford, as interim boss Michael Carrick suffered his first home defeat in charge. The 2-1 loss to arch-rivals Leeds United was compounded by a highly controversial red card shown to defender Lisandro Martínez, leaving the United camp furious and fans in disbelief.

The match marked a historic and painful moment for the Red Devils, as Leeds secured their first league victory at the Theatre of Dreams in over four decades. A first-half brace from Leeds' Noah Okafor put the visitors in command, capitalizing on a United side that Carrick admitted "didn't start the game particularly well" and lacked its usual rhythm.

The game's major flashpoint arrived before the hour mark, when Martínez was dismissed by referee Paul Tierney following an aerial challenge. The decision ignited fury on the United bench, with Carrick and captain Bruno Fernandes leading the protests. Playing the final half-hour with ten men, United showed fight and pulled a goal back through Casemiro, but couldn't complete the comeback.

In a passionate post-match interview, Carrick didn't hold back his criticism of the officiating. He pointed to two key incidents: a potential foul in the build-up to Leeds' first goal and the Martínez sending-off. "It's two games in a row we've had decisions like that go against us," Carrick stated, labeling the red card "one of the worst I've seen." He argued the contact was minimal and not aggressive, expressing shock that the VAR officials did not overturn the decision.

Despite the frustration, Carrick praised the spirit of his reduced squad. "The boys went for it," he said, acknowledging the team's effort while vowing to analyze the performance. The result leaves United with more questions than answers as they navigate a critical period, with the fallout from this contentious defeat sure to dominate headlines.