The Football Association has confirmed it will not pursue disciplinary action against Manchester United following abusive chanting directed at Phil Foden’s mother during Sunday’s match against Manchester City at Old Trafford.
A segment of the home crowd targeted Foden, a key player for City, with derogatory chants referencing Claire Rowlands, his 44-year-old mother. The offensive language was widely reported.
Foden appeared visibly affected by the abuse, responding with apparent sarcasm while clapping. It marked a challenging afternoon for him; he was substituted in the 58th minute after struggling to influence the game.
Manchester City expressed dismay at the scale of fan participation in the chant, while Manchester United swiftly condemned the behavior as abusive.
City manager Pep Guardiola strongly criticized the actions of those involved. “It’s a lack of class,” he stated during his post-match press conference. “But it’s not United, it’s the people… We are so exposed… 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.”
Despite the unpleasantness, the FA determined that the chants, while distasteful, do not constitute a violation of their established rules.
Foden has remained largely silent on the matter, choosing to share images from the match on social media instead.
Guardiola defended his player and his mother, emphasizing the scrutiny faced by those in professional football:
- “It’s a lack of class.”
- “We are so exposed.”
- “They should be ashamed.”
While Foden has experienced a dip in form this season, with just nine goal involvements compared to 27 last term, Guardiola remains confident in his player’s ability to rebound.
“When the team is not playing at the level that we had, it looks like everyone is not what they were,” Guardiola explained. “I see the passion and smile on his face every day in training and that is what I want… 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.”
