Man United fans vent fury after Martial is shown red while Tottenham’s Lamela escapes punishment

Manchester United fans have vented their fury on social media after Anthony Martial was sent off in an incident involving Tottenham’s Erik Lamela, whose actions went unpunished.  

Both sides were preparing for a set piece when Lamela appeared to put his arm into the face of Martial, who then retaliated by touching him on the neck.

The Argentine then held his mouth and went to ground before moments later referee Anthony Taylor took out the red card from his pocket to send the France international striker off.

Martial was sent off after he appeared to grab Lamela’s neck which saw the Argentine go down

Lamela went down clutching his face after he appeared to raise an arm to Martial’s face

Paul Pogba led the United remonstrations on the pitch, but United fans have reacted angrily on social media and were furious that Lamela was not also given his marching orders.

One supporter wrote: ‘Anthony Martial sent off but not Erik Lamela??????? What a disgrace.

‘We needs answers. The officiating in the Premier league is an absolute joke.’  

Another was also amazed that Lamela was not severely punished, adding: ‘I don’t [know] what other people are seeing.

 But nevertheless Anthony Taylor saw Martial as the main culprit and sent the striker off

But United fans have reacted angrily and asked why Lamela was not given similar punishment

‘Clearly Lamela elbowed Martial, he reacted…. that should be a yellow card and a red card for Lamela. Lamela’s reaction is childish!’

Sky Sports pundit Graeme Souness believed both players should have been sent off and criticised Lamela for his behaviour, stating: ‘If Martial is going Lamela has to go. Lamela is trying to push him off, Martial lashes out. It’s like a tickle across your chops, it’s pathetic. 

‘It’s very Latin. Is that what our games about? We want to say we’re British we want to do things differently. I’ve played and worked in a Latin country and I know how they see the game. 

‘Lamela will sleep well tonight because he will think he’s done a great piece of work for his team, that’s not us, that’s in our game now.’

Gary Lineker also agreed with Souness that Lamela should have joined Martial in being shown a red card, but added that a yellow card would have been punishment enough, stating: ‘Agree with Souness: if you send one off, you have to send both players off. A yellow each would have sufficed.’

Other neutral fans also had their say, with one fans suggesting neither play should have got their march orders. 

One fan said: ‘Either both go or neither. I’d go with neither frankly. Handbags and possibly yellow cards, but they both did the same thing so how can one be sent off and the other not. 

‘How two Premier League refs come to the conclusion they did genuinely baffles me.’

Another user also added: ‘Confused as to who is looking at it and decides Martial deserves a red and Lamela nothing… genuinely baffled.’ 

British tennis star Heather Watson was also similarly baffled by VAR’s role in the incident, writing: ‘So Lamela elbows Martial in the neck. Martial retaliates and taps him on the neck. 

‘Lamela then dramatically drops to the floor. BUT ONLY Martial gets a red card….’ followed by a sarcastic thumbs up emoji.

‘How does this happen with VAR? I’m so confused,’ she added.

Another was also critical of VAR and its role in not getting Taylor to have a look himself while also laughing at Lamela’s dramatic fall.

The supporters wrote: ‘As a neutral, Martial was in the wrong, but surely VAR should have suggested ref look at the pitch side monitor, if only to applaud Lamela falling in stages !!’