A Manchester City fan has removed Marcus Rashford from footage of Bruno Fernandes’ Manchester derby opener to highlight how the offside England star was impacting play.
The distraught supporter outlined that Rashford’s presence caused goalkeeper Ederson to be in the incorrect position and argued that Manuel Akanji would have got to the ball ahead of the Portuguese midfielder.
Fernandes levelled for hosts Manchester United in the derby from a goal that was controversially given despite Rashford’s positioning, with the Red Devils moving just a point behind City and are in rampant form under Erik ten Hag.
The decision to award the goal has been met with widespread condemnation with the vast majority of football fans from most clubs agreeing that the equaliser should not have stood.
‘Remove Rashford out. Play is 100% changed: A) Akanji would get to the ball B) Ederson’s entire positioning is wrong based on an offside player,’ wrote Twitter user @BlueCityBrain.
‘Refs got it majorly wrong and either cost us the full 3 points or at least 1 point. No one should be trying to justify this.’
Casemiro’s forward pass from the right-hand side was played in behind the high defensive line of Man City, seemingly aimed at an already offside Rashford.
Remove rashford out. Play is 100% changed:
— BlueCityBrain (@BlueCityBrain) January 14, 2023
A) Akanji would get to the ball
B) Edersons entire positioning is wrong based on an offside player
Refs got it majorly wrong and either cost us the full 3 points or at least 1 point. No one should be trying to justify this. pic.twitter.com/4j129zEWUs
The England star then ran towards the ball without touching it, drawing two City defenders towards him as they sought to cut out the danger.
And with their attentions turned towards him, Fernandes arrive don the scene unmarked towards the edge of the box to fire home past an Ederson that was facing Rashford rather than the Portugal midfielder.
The goal was originally ruled onside, despite Darren Cann’s flag being raised, with Fernandes leading the charge of United players to rush towards the assistant and dispute his decision.
After a long conversation with referee Stuart Atwell, the equaliser was in fact awarded, and it was then the turn of the City players to crowd Atwell and argue the decision.
Rashford would then score the winner four minutes later, leaving United with a memorable home win in the derby to move themselves into the race for the Premier League title.
And Akanji was quick to add his thoughts on the goal after the game, telling Match of the Day: ‘To be honest the first goal is a joke.
‘I saw Rashford, he was clearly offside, so I played him offside.
‘He runs until the last second and he stops when the ball is in front of him and he’s right in front of Eddy (Ederson), ready to score the goal because Bruno Fernandes is shouting him.
‘I understand he doesn’t touch the ball but he’s running for 30 metres and until the last second. For me it is clearly offside. The referee doesn’t even look at the situation, it got explained at the start of the year this would be clearly offside.’
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