The Premier League has backed referee Robert Jones after he opted not to send off Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez for a controversial tackle during Sunday’s match against Chelsea at Old Trafford. The incident occurred in the third minute of injury time, raising questions about the officiating standards in top-flight football.

United captain Bruno Fernandes opened the scoring with a penalty kick in the 70th minute, putting his team in a strong position. However, Chelsea’s Moises Caicedo levelled the score just five minutes later, ensuring the match ended in a 1-1 draw.

The pivotal moment came when Martinez lunged at Chelsea’s Cole Palmer, catching him on the knee with a studs-up challenge as the ball soared away. Referee Jones deemed the tackle worthy of only a yellow card, a decision that sparked debate among players and fans alike.

VAR official Michael Salisbury reviewed the tackle but agreed with the on-field referee, determining that the challenge did not meet the threshold for a red card offense. The Premier League later released a statement reaffirming that the yellow card issued to Martinez was appropriate, describing the challenge as reckless but not worthy of a dismissal.

“The referee issued a yellow card to Martinez for a challenge on Palmer. VAR checked for a potential red card and confirmed the referee’s call of no red card, deeming that it was a reckless challenge,” the statement read.

This match not only highlighted the intensity of the competition but also reignited discussions about the criteria for officiating in the Premier League, particularly regarding player safety and the consistency of VAR decisions. As the season progresses, fans and analysts will continue to scrutinize how such incidents are handled by match officials.