---
title: "Manchester City: Fans angry at referee for sending off Phil Foden against Atalanta"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/manchester-city-fans-angry-at-referee-for-sending-off-phil-foden-against-atalanta/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Liam Togher"
section: "Manchester City Football Club"
published: "2019-10-23T19:25:22Z"
modified: "2019-10-23T19:25:22Z"
---

# Manchester City: Fans angry at referee for sending off Phil Foden against Atalanta

**Manchester City strolled to a 5-1 win over Atalanta in the Champions League last night but the win was slightly tainted by the late dismissal of Phil Foden.**

The teenage midfielder was sent off by [Israeli referee Oren Grinfeld](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/season=2020/matches/round=2001140/match=2027068/match-info/index.html) for [two bookable offences inside six minutes](https://www.whoscored.com/Matches/1426914/Live/Europe-UEFA-Champions-League-2019-2020-Manchester-City-Atalanta), [tugging back Ruslan Malinovskiy and then Marten de Roon](https://www.skysports.com/football/man-city-vs-atalanta/report/420375) to see his night ending prematurely, as noted by [@ManCity](https://twitter.com/ManCity/status/1186744763279654913) on Twitter.

> 82\. RED CARD | Phil Foden’s night is cut short as he picks up his second yellow card of the night. Down to ten.
>
> 5-1 [#ManCity](https://twitter.com/hashtag/ManCity?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)
>
> — Manchester City (@ManCity) [October 22, 2019](https://twitter.com/ManCity/status/1186744763279654913?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

The 19-year-old, who [came off the bench to score](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/phil-foden/leistungsdaten/spieler/406635) in his previous Champions League game, [started a match for just the second time this season](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/phil-foden/leistungsdaten/spieler/406635) and had [provided the assist for Raheem Sterling’s first goal](https://www.whoscored.com/Matches/1426914/Live/Europe-UEFA-Champions-League-2019-2020-Manchester-City-Atalanta) just after half-time, but he will now be suspended for the next European match away to Atalanta in early November.

Foden [had only been booked once](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/phil-foden/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/406635) at first-team level prior to last night, but his pull on De Roon was one foul too many in the eyes of Grinfeld, who administered the [first red card of the teenager’s club career](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/phil-foden/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/406635).

These Manchester City fans on Twitter slated the referee for dismissing the young midfielder:

> Really, really poor refereeing, will likely be rescinded
>
> — Alex (@ZappyZinchenko) [October 22, 2019](https://twitter.com/ZappyZinchenko/status/1186745358577291265?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

> very poor 1st yellow, and very poor 2nd. that ref is a joke
>
> — AL14 x EM31 (@Lzporte) [October 22, 2019](https://twitter.com/Lzporte/status/1186744901846884354?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

> Softest red card I’ve ever seen
>
> — Sam (@Sam\_Burdett16) [October 22, 2019](https://twitter.com/Sam_Burdett16/status/1186744979286319106?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

> That was the softest of all I’ve ever seen in my 20 yrs watching football.
>
> — Van Daddy (@ClarkElai) [October 22, 2019](https://twitter.com/ClarkElai/status/1186755932232900609?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

> Possibly two of the softest yellow cards ever
>
> — Dylan Hadfield (@DylanHadfield10) [October 22, 2019](https://twitter.com/DylanHadfield10/status/1186744895098232833?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

> Ref is a disgrace
>
> — (@CTID\_00) [October 22, 2019](https://twitter.com/CTID_00/status/1186744847325171712?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

> Horrible refereeing.
>
> — Johan Ramírez Montesinos (@JohanRM14) [October 22, 2019](https://twitter.com/JohanRM14/status/1186748281130553345?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

***Do you think Foden was hard done by with his dismissal or was the referee justified in sending him off? Join in the discussion by commenting below!***