Danny Murphy has come to Phil Foden's defence following the midfielder's contentious red card during the Manchester derby, where Manchester City narrowly defeated Manchester United 1-0. Foden was shown a straight red by referee Michael Oliver just 23 minutes into the match.
The decision came after an altercation with Bruno Fernandes, where the United captain initially caught Foden with his foot while he was on the ground. Foden responded by raising his foot, which ultimately led to his dismissal.
Murphy argued that the incident should have been resolved with two yellow cards, stating:
No one would have batted an eyelid if both players received a yellow card for that silly scuffle and unnecessary kicks.
Fernandes lightly grazes Foden with his foot while he’s on the ground, but Foden lifts his leg high, which gives the referee a basis for the sending off.
Yet, players understand the risks of such actions in games like this.
Despite being a man down, Manchester City managed to score the only goal of the match in the 60th minute, thanks to Erling Haaland. However, later revelations from the Pro Ref officiating body indicated that the goal should have been ruled out for offside.
