'Daft!' - Roy Keane SLAMS Bruno Fernandes over Phil Foden red card in explosive Manchester derby clash

The latest installment of the Manchester derby was ignited early in the first half when Foden was shown a straight red card following a clash with Manchester United skipper Fernandes. While Foden was the one dismissed by referee Michael Oliver for violent conduct, Keane was left unimpressed by the histrionics of the Portuguese midfielder.

Keane delivered a scathing assessment of the situation, stating: "We have to be fair and ask did the player give the referee a chance and Foden is a bit daft but so is Bruno here. If Bruno got sent off just for that we’d be saying Bruno was a bit daft and a bit silly."

He added: "You can’t be rolling around. Bruno’s got to do better there. People saying there’s tension there, it’s a big game but you’ve got to after your teammates and the opposition players as well. Foden, I don’t think it’s a red card."

The incident occurred in the 23rd minute of the match when Fernandes appeared to bundle Foden over near the touchline. Replays showed that while Foden was on the ground, Fernandes caught him with a small kick, which provoked the City star to lash out in retaliation.

Despite the minimal contact, the reaction from the United captain was enough to convince the officials to take the ultimate disciplinary action. Keane continued to argue that the provocation from Fernandes was the true catalyst for the red card. "Foden gets up and reacts obviously so he’s now sent off," Keane added.

"Fernandes catches him and gives him a little kick. I guess it’s classed as violent. But Fernandes is the one who is violent here, I don’t think Foden should have a red card."

The red card sparked a wider debate among former professionals, with Gary Neville and Wayne Rooney offering contrasting perspectives on the incident. While Keane was firm in his defense of Foden, Neville was more critical of the City academy graduate's lack of discipline.

The former United defender noted that Foden’s petulant reaction left him with no defense, although he expressed surprise that Fernandes escaped any form of punishment for his initial provocation.

The legendary full-back added that it was a painful moment for Foden to walk down the tunnel, while acknowledging that Fernandes had successfully pulled a reaction out of his opponent.

The repercussions of the red card will extend beyond this single derby. Manchester City ultimately held on to secure a 1-0 victory over Manchester United, despite being reduced to 10 men following Foden’s dismissal.

Foden now faces a standard three-game suspension for violent conduct, which will rule him out of several key Premier League and cup fixtures. This leaves the City manager with a selection headache during a crucial period of the season.