Manchester United faced a tough return at Old Trafford, losing 2-1 to Leeds United after a 24-day break.
The defeat was compounded by Lisandro Martinez receiving a red card early in the second half.
United started poorly, falling 2-0 within the first 29 minutes due to two goals from Noah Okafor, leaving them unable to respond before half-time.
As the second half began, Luke Shaw received a yellow card to join Matheus Cunha, who was booked earlier in the game.
In the 56th minute, Martinez was sent off by referee Paul Tierney.
Lisandro Martinez Sent Off for “Violent Conduct”
The incident occurred during an aerial challenge when Martinez pulled Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s ponytail, dislodging his hairband.
Although the referee initially overlooked the play, VAR prompted a review, leading Tierney to check the pitchside monitor.
After the review, the action was classified as violent conduct, resulting in a red card for Martinez.
The Premier League supported the decision with a post on X stating: “After VAR review, the referee issued a red card to Martínez for violent conduct.”
They added: “Referee announcement: ‘After review, Manchester United 6 is guilty of pulling his hair – violent conduct. Final decision is red card.’”
With Martinez sent off, United faced an uphill battle to recover from the 2-0 deficit.
Casemiro managed to score for United in the 69th minute, linking up with Bruno Fernandes.
However, it wasn’t enough to earn any points, leaving United at 55 points, now tied with Aston Villa after their draw with Nottingham Forest.