The Manchester derby absolutely blew up just 23 minutes into the game when Manchester City’s Phil Foden was handed a straight red card for kicking out at Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes. This wasn’t some soft call either, it was a wild moment that instantly dropped City to 10 men at Old Trafford and rocked the Premier League clash.
Foden’s Wild Reaction and the Referee’s Quick Call
It all went down midway through what had been an even first half, with both sides battling hard. The incident started near the touchline. Fernandes challenged Foden, who went down to the ground right on top of the ball. That’s a physical game, right? But then, Fernandes tried to kick the ball and made contact with Foden, catching him in the bottom of the back. Now, Foden’s reaction? That’s where things got intense. While still lying on the ground, Foden reacted angrily, kicking out with both feet at Fernandes, appearing to catch him right in the stomach.
Referee Michael Oliver didn’t hesitate for a second, showing Foden a straight-red card immediately. There was no debating it on the field, and even VAR backed it up. The Premier League Match Centre confirmed Oliver saw a “kick out into the body of Bruno” from Foden. Then, VAR official Matt Donohue chimed in, saying, “That looks like a clear red card to me. Looks to be a secondary movement.” When VAR confirms it that fast, you know it’s a blatant foul, no matter how much you might want to argue it.
The Fallout for City, and Fernandes’ Lucky Break
This red card wasn’t just any red card. This was Phil Foden’s *first* red card in his entire Premier League career, after an incredible 228 appearances. Imagine that streak ending in a derby like this! It also marks the first time a Manchester City player has been sent off in the derby since way back in 2006, and City’s first in this specific fixture since Bernardo Corradi in that same year. Talk about a historic, and not good, moment.
But here’s the kicker: while Foden was sent packing, Bruno Fernandes, who initiated the contact by kicking Foden while he was on the ground, got away with absolutely no punishment. Zilch. Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville, during his Sky Sports commentary, called it a “lucky escape” for the Portuguese captain. Neville even admitted, “I am surprised that Fernandes has got away without a booking.” That’s a former rival saying it, so you know there’s some real truth to that. Being down a man in a derby is rough enough, but when the other guy who started the mess skates free? That’s a bitter pill to swallow for City fans.
With Foden gone, City is now down to 10 men for the rest of this Premier League clash. You know they’ll have to dig deep and find something extra to push through in what’s left of this game. This early red card is going to define the rest of this derby, no doubt.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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