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| Manchester City's Phil Foden celebrates after scoring their second goal during their Premier League football match against Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday. Photo: Paul Ellis/AFP By AFP |
Phil Foden scored two goals in Sunday's Manchester derby, making the game change in the second half. Foden's performance was outstanding, with physical fitness and intelligence being his main strengths. He showed that his decision-making is one of the things that sets him apart, including when to dribble, pass or shoot, and positionally, when to come inside and when to keep his width.
There is debate about where he should play for City and England, but it really doesn't matter because he is so comfortable across the line, on the left or right, or as a number 10 in Pep Guardiola's side behind Erling Haaland when Kevin de Bruyne is out. Foden gets into the '10' position wherever he plays due to his game intelligence, and of course he delivers too.
With 18 goals in all competitions, this is already the best goalscoring season of his career, and he is well on course to make it the same with assists too. His progression is evident, and he has become Guardiola's go-to man at the age of 23. He has started more Premier League games this season than any other campaign and seems to be someone who Pep trusts because he knows he will be a source of goals wherever he plays.
Sunday's display was far from a one off, as Foden is shining in a wonderfully gifted City side and is looking like their best player. The only people disappointed to see him playing the way he is are Liverpool and Arsenal fans, because of the part he could play in deciding the title race. Everyone else can admire and be excited about what they see.
Man Utd's gameplan was a really good one, with Casemiro and Kobbie Mainoo sitting, Scott McTominay just ahead of them, and Bruno Fernandes playing as a false nine. They could use the pace of Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho out wide. However, United's level of discipline, commitment, and defensive organization was as good as they have seen from them in a big game for a while.
City's relentless approach to the game was a great example of how they wear you down with their patience, quick play, and technical ability. Their first goal was a great example of this, with Foden's incredible strike.
To stop City physically for the entire game, one of the few sides I feel is capable of doing that is the team they face next in the Premier League, Liverpool. Jurgen Klopp's side came back to draw 1-1 at Etihad Stadium earlier in the season and they won't struggle to last the 90-odd minutes, especially with the likes of Wataru Endo, Dominik Szoboszlai, and Darwin Nunez fit again.
As always, City's trip to Anfield next weekend is a mouth-watering prospect, with so much quality on show. Trying to predict what will happen is nigh-on impossible in these games, but for me, it is a case of being excited about seeing how they cope with each other, as it will be to-and-fro between attack and defense.
