Football
Foden's derby red gave Manchester City chance to showcase bright post-Rodri future
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Phil Foden’s rush of blood should have wrecked Manchester City’s afternoon. Instead, his 23rd-minute dismissal at Old Trafford provided an unexpectedly revealing test of the midfield assembled to carry the club beyond Rodri.
City played more than 70 minutes with 10 men and still beat Manchester United 1-0. Erling Haaland supplied the finish on the hour, turning in Josko Gvardiol’s deflected cross at the far post, although the goal should not have stood.
Refereeing body Pro Ref later acknowledged that the video assistant had failed to consider whether the offside Enzo Fernandez interfered with Lisandro Martinez.
That error will understandably colour the result. It should not obscure how well City managed the disadvantage created when Foden retaliated to Bruno Fernandes’ kick by thrusting both feet towards the United captain.
Plan B
Enzo Maresca reorganised his team into a 4-4-1, asking Elliot Anderson and Fernandez to protect the centre while retaining enough composure to stop the second half becoming an extended defensive exercise. They did rather more than survive.
Anderson was named man of the match after producing the kind of controlled, authoritative display City once expected routinely from Rodri. He screened the defence, competed physically with Kobbie Mainoo and gave his team a reliable route through United’s pressure. There was no attempt to mimic Rodri’s game wholesale. Anderson carried the ball when space appeared and played forward when the opportunity justified the risk.
Fernandez supplied the complementary qualities. The former Chelsea midfielder covered more than 10 kilometres, won more duels than any other player and recorded a game-high number of interceptions.
Manchester City
He also offered City’s most credible attacking threat beyond Haaland, forcing Senne Lammens into an excellent save before creating another opening for the Norwegian from a free-kick.
Together, Anderson and Fernandez made City appear less dependent on a single midfield controller.
Rodri’s £51 million move to Barcelona removed one of the defining players of the club’s most successful era, but Maresca has responded by spreading his responsibilities around. Anderson can dictate possession and protect transitions. Fernandez supplies aggression, creativity and the appetite to influence both penalty areas.
Their work enabled City to limit United to three shots on target despite spending most of the match a man short. Marcus Rashford and Mainoo each struck a post, while Gianluigi Donnarumma produced a superb late save from Bryan Mbeumo, but the expected siege never fully materialised. City remained compact without becoming passive.
Getty Images
Maresca's City
The result preserved Maresca’s perfect Premier League start, with four victories from four, and demonstrated that his midfield can control an awkward game without Rodri. The harder question concerns what happens when survival is not the brief.
Playing with 10 men simplified certain decisions. City could concede possession, narrow the pitch and attack quickly through Haaland, Antoine Semenyo and half-time substitute Iliman Ndiaye. Stronger opponents will ask Anderson and Fernandez to dominate the ball while also protecting a higher defensive line.
That examination will come. For now, City know their reconstructed midfield can scrap, think and suffer together. Foden created a problem at Old Trafford. Anderson and Fernandez turned it into the clearest evidence yet that life after Rodri need not be quite so frightening.
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