Roy Keane believes Phil Foden should not have been sent off in the Manchester derby and criticised Man Utd captain Bruno Fernandes' role in the Man City forward's red card. Foden was shown a straight red card in the first half at Old Trafford for kicking out at Fernandes after being fouled by the Man Utd midfielder. Speaking immediately after the incident, Sky Sports' Gary Neville said he was "surprised" Fernandes avoided any punishment after appearing to kick Foden first.
Fellow Sky Sports pundit Keane concurred with his former Man Utd team-mate and feels the Portugal international was "violent". He told Sky Sports: "Bruno goes in, tackles him, clearly fouls him and gives him a little boot on the floor. Foden gets up, does react, and he's now sent off.
"I'm guessing it's classed as violent conduct, but to me Bruno's the one who's violent here. I called Kyle Walker out a few years ago when he went down to a headbutt [which Man Utd striker Rasmus Hojlund was sent off for in December 2024]. "I don't think that's a red card for Foden, I really don't." Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player He added: "Did the player give the referee a chance [to send him off]?
Foden's a bit daft here, but so is Bruno. "If Bruno got sent off for that and nothing happened with Foden then we'd be saying, 'Do you know what, Bruno was a bit daft, a bit silly'. "The players are all in the PFA [Professional Footballers' Association], everyone's in a union - you've got to try and look out for each other; you can't be rolling around.
"We saw Walker do it a few years ago with the headbutt and Bruno's got to do better there. "People say there's tension and it's a big game, but you've got to look out for your team-mates and the opposition players as well. Ex-Man City defender Micah Richards also felt Fernandes should have been punished for his role in Foden's sending off.
He told Sky Sports: "Foden didn't react. If he had started screaming on the floor, then Bruno Fernandes would have been sent off. "It looks worse than it is.
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