City played 67 minutes with ten men, and the refereeing body says the winner should have been reviewed

Phil Foden was sent off in the 23rd minute at Old Trafford on Sunday. Manchester City played the other 67 minutes a man short, won the derby 1-0, and then had to watch the refereeing body announce that the goal probably should not have counted.

The red card

Foden’s feet caught Bruno Fernandes in the stomach while Foden was on the ground. The referee gave a straight red for violent conduct and VAR backed him. The Premier League’s own account of the check has the referee saying “kick out into the body of Bruno” and the VAR replying that it looked like a clear red and that there was a secondary movement.

United, who had taken four points from their first three games, now had an hour against ten men at home. They did not score.

Haaland’s goal, and what VAR looked at

Erling Haaland finished from close range on the hour. The assistant’s flag went up for offside. VAR checked it, decided Haaland himself was onside, and recommended the goal be given. The second part of the check is the part United are angry about: Enzo Fernandez was in an offside position in the same move, and the VAR concluded he had not played the ball.

Later on Sunday, Pro Ref told United that was an error of judgement. Their position is that Enzo Fernandez did not touch the ball, which makes any offside offence a subjective call, and that the VAR did not recognise the likely impact of where he was standing and should have sent the referee to the monitor. The goal stands. The three points stand. A review of the incident is happening.

Donnarumma kept it 1-0

Ten men and a one-goal lead usually ends one way at Old Trafford. It did not here, and the reason was Gianluigi Donnarumma, who produced a point-blank save from Bryan Mbeumo in the closing stages. Haaland called him a madman afterwards and said the goalkeeper gives the side confidence, which is a strange compliment and also an accurate one.

Maresca is four from four

Enzo Maresca took the City job on 29 June on a three-year contract after Pep Guardiola left in May. This was his first Manchester derby, and he ran down the touchline in front of the away end at full time. City have won all four league games and conceded two goals in the process.

That leaves Arsenal and City level on 12 points at the top, Arsenal ahead on goal difference by one. United sit 13th on four points. Four games in, that is an eight-point gap.

Catch up on the rest of the Premier League weekend