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Advantage Manchester United and Arsenal? Manchester City suffer setback as Foden is sent off
13th September, 2026 07:32 PM
Manchester City will play the Manchester Derby with 10 men for over an hour after Phil Foden was sent off for violent conduct against United skipper Bruno Fernandes.
Foden saw red in the 22nd minute for kicking the Portuguese in the stomach. The City winger appeared to lash out in retaliation after going to ground while contesting a ball inside City’s half.
The dismissal arrived as both teams felt each other out in the early stages at Old Trafford, leaving Enzo Maresca stunned and Antoine Semenyo with his hands on his head.
Dismissed!
Referee Michael Oliver brandished the red card immediately without an off-pitch video review, as Foden continued to protest his innocence.
For his troubles, the boyhood City fan became the second Manchester City player to be sent off against Manchester United in the Premier League, and the first since Bernardo Corradi in 2006.
Awful thing
Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville, who was in the match-day commentary duties, offered his verdict on the incident:
“I have been sent off in a Manchester derby, and I can tell you it is awful walking down that tunnel to the dressing room. It will dawn on Foden the enormity of his action soon. I am surprised Bruno did not get even a yellow. I think he got away with it because of his reaction; his reaction deserved a card too.”
The flashpoint followed a cagey opening phase that saw Youri Tielemans go down inside the box under a sliding challenge from Enzo Fernández, with penalty appeals waved away by the referee.
At the other end, Antoine Semenyo failed to capitalise on indecisive defending from Diogo Dalot, with Senne Lammens alert to smother the cross.
Numerically disadvantaged, Maresca’s City must now navigate the remainder of the first half and the entire second period a man less as they look to protect their unbeaten start against Michael Carrick’s charges.
Both managers are eyeing history in the 2026/27 opener, with Carrick targeting a rare second consecutive home win over City—a feat that would make him the first United manager in 113 years (and the first since Sir Alex Ferguson) to win his first two home league derbies.
