Lisandro Martinez’s reckless two-footed lunge on Crystal Palace’s Daichi Kamada has caused a rift between former Premier League referees Keith Hackett and Dermot Gallagher.
The contentious moment came in the second half of Man United’s 0-0 draw with Palace when Martinez narrowly missed Kamada’s ankle with a dangerous tackle.
As the ball broke loose just outside the Palace box, the Argentine leapt with both feet into a challenge, which saw him just miss making contact with the Japanese midfielder. The tackle only controversially earned Martinez a yellow card.
Martinez, who has since been branded a ‘coward’ for the ‘unnecessary’ tackle, has now caused a division between two former top-flight referees, with their differing takes on ugly moment.
On Sky Sports’ ‘Ref Watch’ segment, Gallagher was asked to give his view on certain decisions from the weekend’s action, with Martinez’s two-footed lunge on the agenda.
Lisandro Martinez escaped a red card for a two-foot lunge in Man United’s draw with Palace
Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher’s (right) assessment that Martinez’s tackle was not a red card caused an angry response from ex-top flight ref Keith Hackett
Hackett took to social media to dispute Gallagher’s claims, insisting it was a red card challenge
When asked if the tackle warranted a red card or not, Gallagher claimed that Martinez was ‘lucky’ not to see red, due to the centre back not making contact with the player and not the ball.
‘It’s so unnecessary,’ Gallagher says. ‘You’re giving the referee a decision to make and he has. I think the fact that he’s caught the ball, and not the player, is his saving grace.
‘He’s [Martinez] so so lucky to get the ball there. Why would you make a tackle like that? If he had arrived another foot further forward, he’s going to get sent off and he’s going to get a ban.’
Gallagher’s assessment of the tackle prompted a furious response from former Premier League Hackett, who took to X to vehemently disagree with Gallagher’s conclusion.
Responding to the clip, Hackett posted: ‘ITS A NAILED ON RED CARD DERMOTT’ [sic]
According to the FA’s rules and regulations, Law 12: Fouls and Misconduct states that serious foul play can be ‘a tackle or challenge that endangers the safety of an opponent or uses excessive force or brutality must be sanctioned as serious foul play.’
The law also states that ‘any player who lunges at an opponent in challenging for the ball from the front, from the side or from behind using one or both legs, with excessive force or endangers the safety of an opponent is guilty of serious foul play.’
The VAR looked at the tackle but Martinez was spared as he did not make contact with Kamada
This offence is punishable by a red card, especially if the tackle ‘is brutal’ or ‘uses excessive force’.
During the match, the Premier League Match Centre, which explains VAR decisions as they happen, posted on X: ‘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.’
Former Liverpool and Aston Vila left back Stephen Warnock branded Martinez as a ‘coward’ for the lunge and insists the United star was lucky to only see yellow.
‘It’s a coward’s tackle,’ he said on Sky Sports. ‘That’s all it is. It’s a cowardly tackle to go in and try to protect yourself. I just think I don’t like it. The intent is there. I don’t understand why you would make that challenge. He’s very, very lucky.’
