Former Premier League star and Match of the Day pundit Troy Deeney has controversially downplayed the vile abuse directed towards Phil Foden during Sunday’s Manchester derby.
Several Manchester United supporters disgracefully targeted the Man City star with sick chants about his mother during the limp 0-0 draw, before he was substituted in the 58th minute at Old Trafford.
Foden’s mother Claire Rowlands, 44, was labelled a ‘s**g’ by a sizeable section of the home support — which prompted the England international to react a series of sarcastic gestures during the game.
In a video shared to social media platform TikTok on Sunday, Foden was captured ironically clapping the supporters and giving them a thumbs up while inside Manchester United’s penalty area, before defiantly gesturing for them to continue.
After the match, the footballer took to Instagram to deliver a three-word message – ‘we keep going’ – as he refused to get dragged in to the shocking abuse.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola told United fans they should be ‘ashamed’ of themselves for targeting Foden, while City are understood to be shocked and disgusted by how many Red Devils supporters were involved.
Ex-Premier League star and Match of the Day pundit Troy Deeney (above) has controversially downplayed the vile abuse directed towards Phil Foden during Sunday’s Manchester derby
Foden reacted to Man United fans after they targeted him with abusive chants on Sunday
Claire Rowlands, 44, is pictured alongside her son as he signs a contract in December 2018
But Deeney, who regularly works as a pundit on BBC’s flagship football show Match of the Day and was on MOTD2 with Mark Chapman and Shay Given on Sunday night, sensationally appeared to defend the Manchester United fans who abused Foden, claiming it is merely ‘part of football’.
Urging that the abusive chants have been blown out of proportion, the former Watford star said on talkSPORT: ‘[It is] part of the game, unfortunately.
‘It is what it is, I’ve heard people say things about my kids, wife… you name it.
‘Look, I take Pep’s point – it is a reflection on society…. everyone’s relatively glass houses they like to look out and point and say, “you’re rubbish, this and that”.
‘But I also think as well, it’s a derby, people are emotional… you talk about someone’s mum so you never want it to be that.
‘It’s just part of football. This, in my opinion, is a bigger story than it needs to be.
‘Watching the game, I didn’t hear it. [On] Match of the day we didn’t do anything on it, unfortunately, it’s the ugly side of this football game.
‘There’s an old saying many many years ago that Gianfranco Zola told me and it was “We’re paid to have no feelings”.’
The Manchester City and England midfielder has previously posted on Instagram to credit his parents Phil Snr and mother Claire (pictured with him) for his success in the game
His comments differed entirely to the view of Guardiola, who leapt to the defence of his star man following the horrendous scenes at Old Trafford.
‘It’s a lack of class,’ said the Spaniard after Sunday’s game. ‘But it’s not United, it’s the people, you know? We are so exposed, people who are on the screen in world football: managers, owners, and football players especially.
‘Honestly, I don’t understand the mind of the people involving the mum of Phil. It’s a lack of integrity, class, and they should be ashamed.’
The City boss, however, rejected any suggestions Foden is low on confidence and has backed him to discover the form that has helped lead his side to six league titles.
‘When the team is not playing at the level that we had, it looks like everyone is not what they were,’ the Spaniard added. ‘I see the passion and smile on his face every day in training and that is what I want.
‘You see the numbers of players who have been four, five, six years. This year we drop and it’s all of them – that’s why we are struggling to win but the quality is there.
‘He won the Premier League in the last games (last year), in the game against West Ham with two goals. His impact was incredible and he will be back.’
