Fernandes 'got away with one' as pundits split on Foden red card in Manchester derby

Bruno Fernandes escaped punishment despite appearing to kick Phil Foden during Manchester United’s derby clash with Manchester City, with former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher and ex-striker Jay Bothroyd divided over whether the United captain should have been sent off alongside the City man.

Foden was shown a red card after lashing out and kicking Fernandes, having himself been fouled by the Portuguese midfielder moments earlier. The incident prompted debate over whether Fernandes, who was not cautioned, should have faced any sanction for his initial involvement.

Gallagher, speaking as a pundit, backed the decision to dismiss Foden while acknowledging Fernandes had been fortunate. “I think red card for Foden and Fernandes is very lucky to escape sanction,” he said. “I don’t think that’s violent” — referring to Fernandes’s kick on Foden.

Bothroyd took a firmer line, arguing that Fernandes’s actions were themselves worthy of a red card. “I’m saying that’s violent — that’s a different angle, he’s kicking him while he’s down,” the former striker said. “Bruno Fernandes got away with one. He kicked him while he was down — that’s why he got a red card. Those challenges happen every game; feeling that kick in the back is why he reacted that way, and that’s why he should’ve got a red card too.”

Bothroyd did concede that Foden’s dismissal was the correct call in isolation. “Yes, Foden — the right decision, he’s kicked out. ‘I got that wrong, reacted’ — in a derby, that can happen,” he added.

The disagreement between the two pundits reflects a broader debate around the consistency of officiating in high-intensity derby fixtures, where split-second reactions and retaliatory incidents frequently test the boundaries of the laws of the game.