- Red Devils had to settle for a frustrating goalless draw at Selhurst Park on Sat
- The Argentine defender was centre of attention and also narrowly avoided a red
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Jamie Redknapp has given a savage assessment of Lisandro Martinez‘s defending in Manchester United’s goalless draw against Crystal Palace, after the pundit claimed he was ‘bailed out’ by his goalkeeper.
The Red Devils were forced to settle for a point at Selhurst Park after squandering a host of golden chances.
Alejandro Garnacho and Bruno Fernandes struck the woodwork within seconds of each other in the first half while Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson denied his former club with a number of eye-catching stops.
The hosts improved after the half-time break and were denied a breakthrough against the run of play, Andre Onana sprawling across to his left to make a superb double save and deny Eddie Nketiah and Ismaila Sarr.
But Redknapp took a dim view of Martinez’s involvement in the incident and suggested the centre-back was too busy ‘fighting’ Sarr, allowing his man to swoop in for the spurned rebound.
He said: ‘I tell you who is lucky here, Martinez. For some reason he is trying to get in a bit of a fight there.
‘Sarr comes in, he follows it in and Martinez gets caught the wrong side. He is the one hesitating, he gets lucky his keeper bails him out.
‘You would look on the analysis and think he has got to do better on the rebound.
‘His keeper has certainly bailed him out with that big right hand, it is a really good save.’
The mesmerising double save came just seconds after Martinez narrowly avoided a red card for a reckless tackle on Daichi Kamada.
As the ball broke loose just outside the Palace box, the Argentine leapt with both feet into a challenge which narrowly missed his opponent’s ankle.
Joining Redknapp in the studio, former England and United defender Phil Jones gave his thoughts on the decision to give Martinez just a yellow card.
He said: ‘It is a difficult one, he is probably a bit lucky there. There is almost no need to go in with two feet.
‘I think if he is a fraction out he is seeing a different colour card.’
Redknapp added: ‘I couldn’t agree more. I’d love to tell you [what is his thinking]. He goes into a position, he wants to go in with two feet.
‘I don’t know – it is a tackle we saw many years ago. I don’t know what on earth you are thinking you are going to gain by jumping in with two feet.
‘If he lands on Kamada’s foot he goes down and it is a straight red. The only thing why he doesn’t get a straight red is he somehow just misses his foot. It is a ridiculous challenge.’
During the match, the Premier League Match Centre, which explains VAR decisions as they happen, posted on X, formerly Twitter: ‘The referee issued a yellow card to Martinez for a challenge on Kamada.
‘VAR checked for a potential red card and confirmed the referee’s call of no red card, deeming this was a reckless challenge and made no contact with Kamada.’
