Howard Webb Confirms Phil Foden Red Card for Kick at Bruno Fernandes
Phil Foden’s Manchester derby red card has been upheld, with refereeing chief Howard Webb confirming that the Manchester City forward’s kick at Bruno Fernandes met the threshold for violent conduct.
Foden was dismissed in the 23rd minute after lashing out towards the Manchester United captain during an off-the-ball confrontation. Webb accepted that Fernandes had first kicked Foden from behind and should have been booked, but said the initial act was petulant rather than forceful enough to justify a red card.
Michael Oliver did not spot Fernandes’ earlier kick, while VAR could not retrospectively impose a yellow card once the referee had already sent off Foden. Webb explained that VAR could only have addressed both incidents had Oliver missed the entire sequence and taken no disciplinary action on the pitch.
“Foden kicks out forcefully into Fernandes’ upper body,” Webb said while reviewing the decision. He added that Fernandes’ action lacked the excessive force or brutality required for violent conduct, making it a cautionable offence which VAR was unable to add.
Match audio released from the review showed the officials quickly agreeing that Foden’s movement warranted a straight red. Oliver told the VAR team that Fernandes had fouled Foden and that the City player then kicked his opponent as they separated.
The VAR described it as a “clear red card”, citing a secondary movement and a kick into Fernandes’ midriff. The review initially concluded that Fernandes had kicked the ball, before the assistant VAR flagged the earlier contact with Foden. That incident was judged minimal and outside VAR’s remit because it merited only a yellow card.
Webb compared Foden’s dismissal with the red card shown to Aston Villa’s Joao Gomes earlier this season, maintaining that Oliver’s punishment was correct.
Foden now begins a three-match domestic suspension. He will miss City’s Carabao Cup match against Norwich City, Saturday’s Premier League visit of Sunderland and the league trip to Liverpool on October 11 after the international break.
