Ten-man United fall to Leeds
Leeds secured their first league victory at Old Trafford since 1981 as a Noah Okafor brace condemned the hosts to a 2-1 defeat. Despite Fernandes providing his sixth assist of the season for Casemiro to pull one back, Leeds ultimately held on for the three points. The game was overshadowed by Tierney’s decision to dismiss Martinez for violent conduct. The Argentine defender was sent off following a VAR review for a hair-pull on Dominic Calvert-Lewin, leaving the home side a man down for the majority of the second half.
Fernandes refuses to talk about ref
Following the final whistle, the Portuguese midfielder was visibly agitated by the inconsistency of the officiating throughout the contest. His stance mirrored Mourinho's iconic 2014 interview after a defeat at Aston Villa, where the then-Chelsea manager famously stated: "I prefer not to speak. If I speak, I am in big trouble. In big trouble. And I don't want to be in big trouble."
Speaking to Sky Sports about the Martinez red card and the explanation provided by the officials, Fernandes said: "I'm not talking about the referee. If I talk about the referee I'm going to get in very big trouble because the rules are different for everyone and they play different for everyone. The difference in the yellow cards, you can also see it so it is better that I don't say anything."
Strained officiating history
Tierney has now officiated 21 Premier League matches involving the Red Devils, but his record at Old Trafford has become a point of contention for supporters. The defeat to Leeds followed previous Old Trafford setbacks against Arsenal and Manchester City during the 2023-24 campaign, meaning the side has lost each of its last three home games handled by the official. However, Martinez’s dismissal represented the first time Tierney has shown a straight red card to a United player.
Defensive crisis for London trip
United must now travel to Stamford Bridge on Saturday to face Chelsea without the suspended Martinez, who could also miss upcoming clashes against Brentford and Liverpool. Michael Carrick’s side currently hold a seven-point lead over the sixth-placed Blues, but they require a swift defensive reshuffle to protect their third-place standing. With five Champions League spots potentially available via the European Performance Spot, every point remains vital with only six fixtures left to play.