Brutal foul, Man City's rookie escapes red card in the big Spurs clash

The high-profile game at Etihad between Manchester City and Tottenham saw a contentious incident where goalkeeper James Trafford was not penalized despite a risky challenge on new signing Mohammed Kudus.

The incident happened in the first half as Trafford rushed out of the penalty area to stop Tottenham's dangerous attack. Kudus, who controlled the ball with his chest just inside the 16-yard box, was immediately charged by Trafford. The 22-year-old keeper’s right foot struck the Ghanaian forward’s stomach, causing Kudus to fall painfully to the ground, shocking everyone in the stadium.

What was even more shocking was that slow-motion footage appeared to show Trafford handling the ball just outside the penalty area, a clear foul that usually results in a direct red card. However, referee Peter Banks and the VAR team took no action, sparking outrage among fans in the stands and online.

Many Tottenham supporters in the stadium reacted angrily, while viewers watching on TV were equally stunned. On social media platform X (Twitter), numerous harsh comments were posted.

One fan wrote: “It definitely should have been a red card for James Trafford!”.

Another expressed frustration: “The slow-motion clearly shows Trafford handling the ball outside the penalty box!”

Yet another opinion even stated: “This was a kung-fu kick combined with an obvious handball; I don’t understand how the referee missed it.”

Notably, just minutes later, Trafford made a direct error leading to a goal. In injury time of the first half, from a costly mispass inside his own penalty area, Joao Palhinha seized the chance to score decisively, increasing Tottenham’s lead to 2-0.

Earlier, the visitors had taken the lead through a close-range finish by Brennan Johnson, gaining a strong advantage at Etihad. Trafford’s consecutive mistakes put Man City in a difficult position in the first half and intensified the debate over the referees’ decision to overlook his red card offense.