With Kevin De Bruyne’s departure, the responsibility on Manchester City’s English midfielder has grown even more.
Phil Foden, who performed brilliantly in the 2023-24 season on City’s path to a fourth consecutive league title, was a shadow of himself last season. The club’s coach, Pep Guardiola, is eager to see the English midfielder return to his former rhythm.
For Foden, the 2024-25 season has been one of deep frustration. Fitness issues limited him to just 20 Premier League starts, in which he scored 7 goals and provided 2 assists. Compare that to the previous season, where he started 33 matches, scored 19 goals, and assisted 8, earning him recognition as the Player of the Year.
Even in the games he did play last season, Foden struggled to find his usual form. The start of the new season hasn’t been smooth either; the 25-year-old featured for only 15 minutes across City’s first three matches. He was also left out of England’s squad for this month’s World Cup qualifiers.
However, Guardiola has expressed hope ahead of the Manchester derby. City will face Manchester United at home on Sunday. With De Bruyne gone, the midfielder who led the team’s midfield over the past decade, Guardiola now sees Foden as his main pillar.
“I always look for Phil first. I want him to play with joy on the field, to smile during every training session, and to contribute to the team. Last season, one of our biggest struggles was missing him in attack. In terms of creativity and effort on the pitch, he is our best.”
Foden had shown good form during the FIFA Club World Cup in June-July. But he later suffered another ankle injury.
“Sometimes there’s a glimpse of hope, you think, ‘He’s coming back.’ But then one week he plays and stops again. He returns, then gets injured again. Every player has to work through injuries, play regularly, and stay with the team every day. That’s how you move forward. He has to keep trying.”
So far, this season hasn’t been easy for City either. After winning their opening league match, they lost the next two, leaving them with 3 points from 3 games and sitting 16th in the table.
