Phil Foden branded 'stupid' for Bruno Fernandes kick as Wayne Rooney agrees on red card verdict
· Mirror
Phil Foden was sent off in the Manchester derby after an incident involving Bruno Fernandes
Wayne Rooney and Danny Murphy were in agreement with their verdicts on Phil Foden's red card for Manchester City in the Manchester derby. The England international was sent off during City’s 1-0 win over the Red Devils in the Premier League clash at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon.
Foden was given his marching orders by referee Michael Oliver in the 23rd minute of the match on Sunday, leaving City to play the vast majority of the fixture with 10 men.
Oliver sent Foden off after the City star attempted to kick United captain Bruno Fernandes, but Enzo Maresca's side still managed to claim a victory thanks to a controversial goal from Erling Haaland.
Fernandes, by contrast, escaped punishment despite seemingly kicking Foden while attempting to regain possession, an incident that occurred just moments before the City star was dismissed.
Rooney and Murphy featured on Match of the Day where Foden's sending-off became a topic of debate, and the ex-Liverpool midfielder believes that yellow cards for both Foden and Fernandes would have been the fairest resolution.
"I don't think they both should have [been sent off]," Murphy said. "Look, we could talk all day about this. Nobody would have batted an eyelid if they both got a yellow and a telling off for silly petulance and little stupid kick-outs.
"They're not dangerous, I don't think.
"When you slow it down, you see the original foul from Fernandes. He gives him a little nudge with his foot while he's on the floor but Foden's foot is high and above the waist, which I think then gives the referee the idea to give him the red because it seems more dangerous.
"I don't think in this day and age you should be taking that risk, what is he thinking? Why has he done that?"
Rooney shared Murphy's view, setting out why he believes Foden should not have received his marching orders, and that both the City midfielder and Fernandes should have been cautioned.
"I can see why they give the red card, but I just think as a football fan you don't want to see a red card for that," Rooney said.
"You look at it there and think he hasn't kicked him with any force, he's almost just brushed him with the side of his leg, he hasn't gone in with the studs where he's really going to hurt him.
"I think the sensible decision is two yellows."
Phil Foden has been told why his challenge on Bruno Fernandes was "stupid"(Image: Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images)
Murphy proceeded to describe Foden's decision to retaliate against Fernandes as "stupid", while maintaining the incident did not warrant a dismissal.
"It wasn't ferocious, there wasn't speed to it, it was the side of his leg," Murphy added.
"I just think now with the cameras, with the VAR and the refs initiative to cut that type of thing out - you are rolling a dice if you do it, and he's [Foden] been stupid."