Manchester City midfielder Phil Foden is facing a suspension after being sent-off in the 1-0 win over Manchester United.
In the 199th Manchester derby on Sunday afternoon and the first not to feature Pep Guardiola for a decade, Foden’s red card was one of two major talking points at Old Trafford.
Foden was giving his marching orders as early as the 23rd minute for a wild kick at Bruno Fernandes, as he appeared to react at being kicked twice by the Man United captain.
Referee Michael Oliver wasted no time in brandishing the red card, marking the first time the midfielder had been sent-off in a Premier League fixture.
The 26-year-old was visibly shocked upon seeing the colour of the card and protested his innocence before making his way down the tunnel, with the Premier League match centre confirming his dismissal was for violent conduct.
“The referee’s call of red card to Foden for violent conduct was checked and confirmed by VAR,” they said in a statement.
Foden watched the remainder of the game from the Man City dressing room and will have been delighted that his team-mates went on to secure all three points thanks to a Erling Haaland winner - that should not have stood.
The result means City maintain their 100 per cent winning record at the start of the Premier League season, opening up an eight-point gap to Man United in the table.
Foden, though, is set to serve a ban for his red card.
How many Man City games will Phil Foden miss?
Due to Foden being sent-off for violent conduct, he will have to serve a three-match suspension. Had he been dismissed for two bookable offences or denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity, a one-match ban would have been his punishment.
As confirmed by the Premier League, red cards shown in a league fixture do carry over into domestic cup competitions.
“Premier League yellow cards are not carried over to the EFL Cup or FA Cup. But when players receive a red card, they ARE carried over to - and from - the domestic cup competitions,” a statement reads.
“The suspension period for red cards covers the Premier League, EFL Cup and FA Cup”.
Therefore, Foden will be unavailable for selection in Man City’s next fixture which is against Norwich in the Carabao Cup on Thursday evening.
He will also sit out City’s next two Premier League matches - at home to Sunderland on September 20 and then the trip to Anfield to face Liverpool on October 11 in their first game after the extended international break.
This means Foden’s suspension will be up in time for the visit of newly-promoted Ipswich on October 17 but he could return three days earlier in the Champions League clash with holders Paris Saint-Germain at the Etihad Stadium.
