Chelsea claimed a vital 2-0 win over Manchester United at Stamford Bridge, taking full advantage of a second half collapse from the Red Devils in their Premier League meeting.
Former Blue and pundit Joe Cole shared his thoughts on the game, singling out a particular player from the visiting side for blame after a disappointing outing.
The result leaves the Red Devils teetering on the brink of the relegation zone on the back of a nine-game winless run across all competitions.
"He's just at the scene of the crime too often": Cole points to Martinez after sending off
Manchester United were reduced to ten men shortly after the hour mark in west London, with Argentina international Lisandro Martinez picking up a pair of bookings in quick succession.
Speaking on TNT Sports, Cole was left perplexed by the thought process of the defender, and pointed out that there seems to be no redemption for him at the club.
"I'm still trying to come to terms with the Lisandro Martinez sending off. I don't know what his thinking was.
Whatever the next Man United phase is, I think Martinez's time at the club has run its course. In a Man United shirt, he's just at the scene of the crime too often. I think that's his time done," he said.
Martinez picked up a booking for persistently fouling and grabbing Morgan Rogers in the 59th minute, after the Chelsea man shrugged him off on the turn near United's penalty box.
From the resulting free-kick, the Red Devils conceded a corner-kick, which was swung in by Estevao.
Blues defender Wesley Fofana was left in a heap inside the box, prompting a VAR review which revealed that Martinez had led with an arm into the face of the Frenchman without even glancing at the ball.
He was shown a second yellow card in the 63rd minute, giving away a penalty and leaving his team with just ten players on the pitch for the remainder of the clash.
Cole Palmer duly dispatched the resulting penalty, adding it to the solo goal from Rogers earlier in the half to secure the three points.
What next for Martinez at Manchester United?
Lisandro Martinez's sending-off means that he gets a one-game suspension that he escaped from the club after he publicly criticised the board.
His latest act of petulance was deeply consequential to the club and may have cost under-fire manager Carrick his job, making it an ironic situation for the Englishman to be in.
Martinez has been linked with a move away from Old Trafford, with the club and player clearly uninterested in extending his contract, which is set to expire at the end of the season.
He could well be on his way out of the club in January, with several European sides reportedly keeping tabs on his situation in England.
The 28-year-old will also be free to reach a pre-contract agreement with a foreign club from the new year, and it remains to be seen what his future holds.
In the meantime, he will be unavailable for selection for next week's Premier League clash against Aston Villa, for whoever is in the dugout for that one.
