'Be angry at the performance!' - Roy Keane slams Michael Carrick & Man Utd for moaning about Lisandro Martinez hair-pull red card against Leeds

The outspoken pundit was unimpressed by Carrick’s furious reaction to the dismissal of Martinez, who was sent off for violent conduct following a VAR review. While the interim boss described the decision as "one of the worst" he had ever seen, Keane argued that the focus on the referee was a convenient way to avoid discussing a lackluster team display.

"You should be angry with the performance," Keane stated on The Overlap. "It’s like a distraction, the sending off. No, you were 2-0 down at the time. Be angry with the first half where you turn up for a game so slowly." The Irishman acknowledged that while the "violent conduct" tag felt harsh, he could see why the referee reached for the red card given recent precedents in the Premier League.

This latest critique follows a series of warnings from the club legend regarding Carrick’s suitability for the permanent role at Old Trafford. Despite an impressive win percentage since succeeding Ruben Amorim in January, Keane remains unconvinced that his former team-mate is the right long-term appointment, particularly when dealing with the pressures of recruitment and squad discipline.

However, the former United midfielder believes the players should take the blame for the loss to Leeds. "People are looking at the manager - no, this is on the players," Keane added, reiterating his belief that the squad must take more responsibility during games where "jeopardy" is high. He insisted that senior figures in the dressing room need to "get a grip" of their teammates to ensure that top-four ambitions do not slip away in the final weeks of the campaign.

Carrick criticised the perceived inconsistent refereeing in the game in a furious rant after full time, telling Sky Sports: "We didn't start the game particularly well. We obviously conceded when Leny Yoro gets a forearm smash in the back of the head and they score the first goal. They didn't decide to overturn that decision. That was a big moment in the game. We didn't quite have the rhythm, we didn't click, we had some moments but it wasn't quite there for large parts of the first half. But second half, I thought the boys the way they went about it, stayed positive and fought to get something out of it after another shocking, shocking decision to send [Lisandro Martinez] off. Two games in a row we've had decisions like that go against us but that one was one of the worst I've seen."

Manchester United currently sit third in the Premier League table, but the race for Champions League qualification has intensified with Aston Villa now level on points. Carrick must navigate a daunting trip to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea on Sunday without both Martinez and the suspended Harry Maguire. This fixture could prove defining for his hopes of securing the managerial job permanently.