Wayne Rooney and Gary Neville clash over Phil Foden's controversial red card in Manchester derby

The fiercely contested Manchester derby exploded into life when Foden was dismissed after 23 minutes on Sunday, when Bruno Fernandes appeared to bundle Foden to the ground during a physical challenge near the touchline. As he lay on the turf, Foden retaliated by kicking out at the midriff of the Portuguese midfielder, who immediately went down wincing. Referee Michael Oliver swiftly produced a straight red card for Foden, leaving Manchester City to navigate the remainder of the Premier League clash with 10 men.

Despite the violent conduct shown by Foden, Wayne Rooney firmly believes the punishment was far too harsh. The former Manchester United forward felt his old club benefited from a soft call by the officials.

Giving his thoughts on the BBC, Rooney stated: "That can’t be a red card. It was more of a flick or a gesture, than a kick out." The video assistant referee checked the altercation but ultimately confirmed the on-field decision, meaning Foden became only the second Manchester City player in Premier League history to receive a red card in a derby, and the first since Bernardo Corradi in 2006.

Gary Neville offered a contrasting view on Sky Sports, showing less sympathy for Foden while expressing shock that Fernandes escaped unpunished. "Oh dear, he’s not having it, Foden, VAR will have a look," Neville stated.

"It looks like Foden reacts. It’s a kick into the stomach there. He’s not going to get away with that. It’s one of them where he’s almost flicked out petulantly hasn’t he? It’s one of those that you look back upon as Phil Foden and think: if I was going to get red carded then I might as well kicked him a bit harder! It’s just a petulant little reaction. He’s been kicked on the floor." The former defender later added: "A painful moment for Foden to have to make that run down the long tunnel. I’m surprised Fernandes didn’t get a yellow for the kick on the floor, he’s certainly pulled a reaction out of Foden which will help his team-mates."

Despite the numerical disadvantage, Manchester City successfully held their ground until Erling Haaland fired them into the lead in the 60th minute. Looking ahead, Foden is likely to face a standard three-game suspension for violent conduct, forcing Enzo Maresca to find creative alternatives during a crucial run of fixtures.