The Football Association has rejected an appeal from Manchester United regarding Lisandro Martinez's dismissal for violent conduct. The defender received a red card for pulling the hair of Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin during a recent fixture. An independent regulatory commission reviewed the incident and determined the action met the threshold for a sending-off offense.
The panel stated that hair pulling is a prohibited action that should not be tolerated on the field of play. Manchester United argued the contact was not sufficient to warrant a dismissal, but the commission disagreed with this assessment. According to the written reasons published by the FA, such behaviour constitutes a clear breach of discipline.
Martinez remains suspended for three domestic matches following the unsuccessful appeal, per Sky Sports. The sanction covers Premier League and domestic cup fixtures. Everton won the match in which the incident occurred, according to the Premier League. The panel emphasised that players must maintain professional conduct regardless of provocation or match circumstances.
