OFFICIAL: Manchester United receives a severe blow in the Premier League.

Manchester United officially loses key defender Lisandro Martinez for three crucial matches, after their appeal against the red card for hair-pulling was firmly rejected by the FA.

The 1-2 defeat against Leeds United on April 14 not only left Manchester United empty-handed but also resulted in a devastating personnel consequence. Defender Lisandro Martinez, who had just returned after two months of injury recovery, was suspended following a confrontation with Dominic Calvert-Lewin. Although referee Paul Tierney did not observe it directly, VAR intervened and determined the act of pulling the opponent's hair as "unsportsmanlike violence."

Typically, similar violations result in a two-match ban, but the FA decided to increase the penalty to three matches for the Argentine star. This decision has sparked intense backlash from within the Red Devils.

In the latest press conference, Manager Michael Carrick could not hide his frustration: "Of course, we are extremely disappointed. I think there are quite a few reasons to be very disappointed about this situation over the past three weeks. But clearly, we must move forward now. Decisions have been made, which disappoints us greatly in many ways, but it's a done deal. We have to continue, and we will do so."

Martinez's absence in the critical clashes against Chelsea, Brentford, and Liverpool is a heavy blow to Manchester United's Champions League ambitions. More worryingly, Carrick's defensive line is currently in a state of "empty house."

Harry Maguire is still suspended for one more match due to disciplinary action, while Matthijs de Ligt has not recovered from injury. This means all three most experienced defenders will be unavailable for the trip to Stamford Bridge early on April 19. It is likely that young talent Ayden Heaven will be pushed into starting in a highly pressured match.

Amid the crisis storm, Red Devils fans still received some positive signals. Young midfielder Kobbie Mainoo has returned to training and is ready to play to reinforce the midfield. However, on the wing, Patrick Dorgu remains unavailable due to an unrecovered hamstring injury.

With a packed schedule and depleted squad, Manchester United faces its biggest test of character since the start of the season. If they cannot secure points against Chelsea, the gap on the standings will significantly narrow, directly threatening their ticket to Europe's most prestigious competition next season. Martinez is expected to return only on May 9 in the match against Sunderland.