Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes should have been punished for his part in Phil Foden’s controversial red card during Sunday’s Manchester derby, according to former Premier League referees’ chief Keith Hackett.
Foden was sent off in the 23rd minute of Manchester City’s 1-0 win at Old Trafford after kicking out at Fernandes, who had appeared to strike the ball into the City midfielder moments earlier.
The incident overshadowed what became a landmark afternoon for new City boss Enzo Maresca, who claimed his first win over United since taking charge at the Etihad in the summer. Erling Haaland scoring the only goal after the break.
Hackett, the former chief executive of the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) and a onetime FIFA referee, believes referee Michael Oliver got the initial decision wrong by failing to caution Fernandes for his role in the flashpoint.
‘Certainly not getting a yellow was an error’
Speaking to Football Insider, Hackett laid out his thinking on an incident that has divided pundits and former players since the final whistle.
“I think this is an interesting one,” he said. “The minimum that the Man United player should have received is a yellow card because his actions were reckless.
“But it was a kick. So I’m actually saying he should have received a sanction. I’ve already spoken to one or two colleagues who believe that he should have been sent off.
“But the thing that persuades me towards yellow and against red is I don’t think there was any excessive force and I generally don’t think there was malice in it.
“But that’s how I’m reading it, and that’s me as an individual. But certainly not getting a yellow was an error by the referee.”
Foden’s dismissal was checked and upheld by VAR, with the Premier League’s Match Centre later confirming the officials’ reasoning, describing the incident as “a kick out into the body of Bruno” that constituted “a clear red card” with “a secondary movement.”
No action, however, was taken against Fernandes for his part in the coming-together, a decision that prompted immediate criticism from several observers inside the Sky Sports studio, including Gary Neville, who said he was surprised the United captain escaped any punishment.
Maresca says decision could have gone either way
Maresca, whose side had won their first four Premier League matches of the season before the trip to Old Trafford, offered a similarly nuanced view on the flashpoint after full time, stopping short of demanding City had been hard done by.
“It can be a red card for Phil Foden, but I think in the same action it can be a red card for Bruno, in the same action,” the Italian said. “So, anyway… it is what it is. Red card for us. We won.”
Maresca’s team were forced to play the final hour with ten men but held firm before Haaland struck midway through the second half, meeting a cross from the back post to settle a fiery contest that also saw United strike the woodwork twice, through Marcus Rashford and Kobbie Mainoo.
Gianluigi Donnarumma produced a crucial late save to deny Bryan Mbeumo an equaliser as City held on.
The result kept City level on points at the top of the table after four games, while further embedding Maresca’s early reputation as a manager capable of adapting under pressure. He used the half-time introduction of Iliman Ndiaye for Rayan Cherki to change City’s shape after going down to ten men, a switch widely credited for helping his side see out the win.
