‘Horrendous’: Brutal high tackle sees women’s star shown straight red card in fiery derby clash (VIDEO)

Football fans have reacted after a women's derby match between Manchester United and Manchester City turned foul when City star Georgia Stanway went in to challenge for the ball with a dangerous lunge and was sent off.

The fixture was 35 minutes into its first half when Stanway lost her head.

Filling in at right back, the England international let rip with a ridiculously high tackle on Leah Galton that will have left studs on the United forward's thigh.

Understandably it sent the victim to the floor in pain, and Stanway seemed to protest that the dirty move was accidental. 

Be that as it may, Stanway was given a straight card, and rose from the turf to square up to Ella Toone after the number 7 presumably mouthed a few choice words.

"That's what happens when you have to play a midfielder at right back," remarked one pundit.

"Not sure she intended it, but that doesn’t matter. Potentially huge moment in this derby."

That prediction came true, but not quite in the way expected. 

Just three minutes later, Khadija Shaw put the 10-women Blues ahead, and at half time as the footage spread to social media, fans on the internet reacted.

"Awful?" questioned one angry party mocking the caption of one post that shared the news. 

"Horrendous more like it."

"Wouldn’t play again this season for me after that one. Should have had the decency to walk before the card was issued."

Other replies were more joking, with a popular one starting: "Can’t quite see what was wrong with this.

"I thought refs were told this year to let these minor challenges go."

"Game's gone soft in my opinion," remarked someone else, also playing around.

A Twitter user who follows the player closely pointed out that it was "an average Stanway tackle".

"How she gets through most games without being sent off is a mystery," it was concluded.

"Roy Keane or Graeme Souness would be proud of that," came a popular conclusion, in reference to the popular former Manchester United and Liverpool hardmen.

Despite the imbalance in numbers, the match provided a thrilling second half. 

With Lucy Staniforth equalizing for the home team on 72 minutes, Alessia Russo completed a 2-1 comeback for United at the end of a slick counterattack.

But City weren't done yet, and balanced the scales through Ellen White with 11 minutes to spare to make sure that the honors were split.