Man City vs Man United: Fred struck by object that appeared to be thrown by City fan during derby
United midfielder received a barrage of objects thrown at him when attempting to take a corner during Saturday’s Manchester derby at the Etihad Stadium
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Your support makes all the difference.Manchester United midfielder Fred was struck on the head by an object thrown by a fan standing among Manchester City supporters during the Manchester derby.
The incident happened when a number of City fans taunted the Brazilian as he made his way towards them to take a corner, causing a short stoppage as a series of objects including lighters, coins and bottles were thrown at him.
After one struck Fred, he moved away from the corner before going down to one knee, though the abuse clearly continued behind him.
The 26-year-old appeared to be hurt after being struck, though he did not need any treatment.
The incident was spotted by referee Anthony Taylor, though he did not take action at the time. Premier League rules state that "[if] an object thrown by a spectator hits a match official, a player or team official, the referee may allow the match to continue, or stop, suspend or abandon it depending on the severity of the incident."
However, City are almost certain to face disciplinary action for the incident, while the club could also choose to take action against the individuals responsible if they are able to identify them.
As he eventually returned to the corner with Jesse Lingard, television cameras captured a woman trying to leave the section of supporters while carrying a young boy, with stewards attempting to force a path for her to leave among dozens of irate City fans.
City were losing 2-0 at the time to their fierce rivals after first-half goals from Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial, with the former scoring from the penalty spot after a Video Assistant Referee review that penalised Bernardo Silva for fouling Rashford in the area.
The incident not only incensed the home fans but also City manager Pep Guardiola, who launched into a verbal tirade towards fourth official Mike Dean.
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