Former Premier League referee and refereeing chief Howard Webb has admitted that Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes should have received a yellow card for his involvement in the controversial incident that led to Phil Foden being sent off during the Manchester derby.
Manchester City defeated Manchester United 1–0 at Old Trafford, but the match was overshadowed by several contentious refereeing and VAR decisions. One of the biggest talking points came in the first half when Foden was shown a straight red card after kicking out at Fernandes.
The incident occurred after Fernandes had fouled Foden. As the two players became involved in the confrontation, Fernandes appeared to make a kick towards Foden before the Manchester City forward reacted by kicking Fernandes in the upper body...READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE .
Referee Michael Oliver sent Foden off for violent conduct, a decision Webb has defended. According to Webb, Foden’s action involved sufficient force to justify a red card, particularly because the kick was directed into Fernandes’ upper body.
However, Webb acknowledged that Fernandes should not have escaped without punishment. He described the Manchester United midfielder’s initial kick as provocative and said it warranted a yellow card, although he did not believe it reached the threshold for violent conduct.
The explanation has added another layer to the debate surrounding the incident because Fernandes’ action occurred before Foden’s reaction. While Foden was punished for his response, Fernandes was not shown a card for his initial involvement.
Webb explained that VAR could not simply intervene to award Fernandes a yellow card after the referee had already issued a red card to Foden. Under the VAR protocol, video officials can intervene in situations involving potential red cards, penalties and other major errors, but they cannot normally use the system to retrospectively impose a yellow card for an incident that the referee has missed.
The situation has nevertheless raised questions about whether both players received equal treatment. Foden’s dismissal had a major impact on the match because Manchester City were forced to play with 10 men for the remainder of the game.
Despite being reduced to 10 players, City managed to hold on and eventually secured victory through Erling Haaland. The result made the refereeing controversy even more significant because the red card did not prevent the visitors from taking all three points.
Webb’s comments suggest that while he considers Foden’s dismissal correct, he accepts that the sequence of events should have resulted in Fernandes receiving a yellow card as well.
The incident has also renewed discussions about the limits of VAR and the difference between correcting a serious refereeing error and allowing officials to manage incidents that fall below the threshold for intervention. The technology is designed to correct clear and significant mistakes, but it does not allow referees to revisit every missed offence during a match.
For Manchester United, the controversy comes alongside disappointment over a derby defeat that leaves further questions about the team’s performance and disciplinary record. For Manchester City, the victory was particularly impressive because they managed to overcome playing a man down and still secure a crucial win away from home.
The debate over Fernandes and Foden is likely to continue, but Webb’s assessment has provided an important clarification. Foden’s red card was considered justified because of the force of his kick, while Fernandes should also have been cautioned for the earlier action that helped trigger the confrontation.
The incident has once again highlighted how quickly emotions can escalate in high pressure football matches and how difficult it can be for referees and VAR officials to make consistent decisions when several incidents occur within seconds.
