Richards blasts ’embarrassing’ Man Utd star vs Man City as Neville and Keane react
Former Man City defender Micah Richards thought Man Utd captain Bruno Fernandes was “embarrassing” in the incident which led to Phil Foden being sent off in the Manchester Derby.
Erling Haaland scored the only goal of the game on 60 minutes as 10-man Man City beat Man Utd 1-0 at Old Trafford in the first Manchester Derby of the season.
Man Utd came extremely close to scoring on a few occasions with both Marcus Rashford and Kobbie Mainoo hitting the post during the match.
There were two big controversies during the match with VAR reversing an offside call on Haaland’s goal despite doubts over Enzo Fernandez’s role in the goal, while Foden’s sending off also raised eyebrows.
Foden kicked out at Fernandes after the Man Utd captain had kicked the back of the Man City attacker while on the floor in an apparent attempt to get the ball.
Defending the officials, Gary Neville began on Sky Sports: “We all know what’s happened here, we’ve all been in this situation where the person that was wrong initially then reacts and ends up getting punished.
READ: Manchester derby officials ‘clowns’ but bonkers decision is ‘divine karma’ for Bruno
“The reason Bruno Fernandes gets away with that and the reason I thought it was a yellow is under the guise that he’s stood up when the ball is on the ground… we see it with goalkeepers sometimes when the forwards come in and kick it.
“Under the guise of, ‘I’m trying to get to the ball’, that guise is wrong and you’re sort of saying you can get away with it.
“Referees sometimes see that four, five times a month, this type of thing where players are trying to do that.
“I mentioned David Beckham in 1998, it’s so soft and you get reds for those. It doesn’t make it right but I can see the logic in thinking.”
At this point, Richards intervened and said: “What about Bruno Fernandes action… it’s embarrassing!”
To which Neville replied: “To be fair, Micah, we can sit here all day long and debate this.
“I played in a dressing room for 15-20 years and Roy [Keane] might not agree with this or not… but we used to say that if you get kicked in the box, go down and win a penalty.
“You do try and get players sent off.
“I know that’s not right but that is what happens in the game. We might not like it!”
Roy Keane responded: “I don’t think we tried to get players sent off, I don’t agree with that.
READ: ‘It was obvious’ – Neville slams Carrick decision as Man Utd lose to arch-rivals Man City
“You might try and win decisions but you wouldn’t dream of trying to get a player sent off.”
Enzo Maresca calls for red card for Man Utd star too
Speaking about the match in general, Man City boss Enzo Maresca said: “With the red card changed our plan a little bit but credit to the players because their effort, the spirit has been brilliant.
“The moment we go to ten players it changes all the players. At the beginning we wanted to create an overload in the middle but after 23 minutes it changed completely.”
When Maresca was asked if he thought Foden’s red card was warranted, he said: “It can be a red card but in the same action it can be a red card for Bruno. It is what it is.
“It changed the plan for us but also changed the plan for them. They are unbelievable in transition and the moment we went to ten men we didn’t give them any transition.
“The tactical plan is one thing but the main thing today was the effort from the players, outstanding.”
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