Martínez also criticised the quality of officiating in the English Premier League (EPL).
By Kehinde Okeowo
Manchester United defender Lisandro Martínez has justified his decision to leave Manchester City’s Erling Haaland unmarked prior to him scoring a controversial goal in the derby at Old Trafford on Sunday.
The Argentine international expressed his discontent following the contentious VAR decision while speaking with reporters after the encounter.
Man City defeated their rivals Man United 1-0 during the highly anticipated fixture, thanks to Haaland’s second-half goal.
City were reduced to 10 men in the first half when Phil Foden was sent off for a challenge on United captain Bruno Fernandes.
Despite their numerical disadvantage, the visitors emerged as the winners, taking all three crucial points at stake.
Reacting to the goal scored by the Norwegian striker, which ultimately led to his team’s loss, Martínez labelled the decision reached by the referee and VAR officials an “injustice”.
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The centre-back went on to contend that a City player was in an offside position prior to Haaland netting the decisive goal.
He further asserted that the player’s positioning influenced his actions in the penalty area, leaving the Norwegian unmarked at the back post.
Martínez said: “I believe [he] was offside. What I find perplexing are the rules.
“He was right there! I approached him because he was directly in front of me. That is why Haaland was unmarked at the back.”
The Red Devils defender also criticised the quality of officiating in the English Premier League (EPL), remarking: “I strive to remain composed, but it is incredibly challenging. Each season, officials come to our club and spend an hour clarifying the rules, appearing very confident in their explanations.
“Yet, having five or six officials making such errors in the Premier League is simply unacceptable. We have to return home with this sense of injustice.”
Asked if he would have marked Haaland had the player not been present in an offside position, the defender responded: “Absolutely, it is as straightforward as that.”
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