Coach Pep Guardiola has lavishly praised Phil Foden’s performance in Man City’s victory over Dortmund in the UEFA Champions League.
Man City demonstrated overwhelming superiority against Dortmund when they secured a 4-1 win against the German side in the fourth group stage match of the UEFA Champions League.
During the 90 minutes at Etihad, Phil Foden—not Erling Haaland—was the standout star, scoring a brace and delivering an explosive performance, earning a perfect 10 rating from SofaScore. After the match, coach Pep Guardiola did not hesitate to praise his prized player and made remarks directed at England’s head coach Thomas Tuchel.
Specifically, Pep said: "No one in this country, nor worldwide, can deny his talent and ability. England is fortunate to have many excellent players, so competition for this position is fierce, which is why Phil must continually push himself to improve.
He has to tell himself: ‘I will prove my capability.’ Thomas Tuchel knows exactly how good Phil is, and I believe he will do what’s best for his country."
Previously, Foden was left out of England’s squad by Thomas Tuchel for the matches against Wales and Latvia last month. The Three Lions will next face Serbia and Albania in the November international break, and the 2001-born star could return to the national team if he maintains his current form.
Regarding Guardiola’s view, he believes Foden has regained his peak form: “This season he has indeed regained his form. When Phil plays like this, moving skillfully between lines, exploiting spaces, controlling the ball precisely, and maneuvering flexibly, he truly stands out. Along with his hard work in duels and relentless running, Phil is a special player.
We need goals from him, and today he took the first step. Hopefully, he can keep this up ahead of the crucial match on Sunday.”
Guardiola also commented on the upcoming match against Liverpool at Etihad: “They are a top team, as they were last season under coach Arne Slot, winning the Premier League and investing in many quality players.”
The victory over Dortmund lifted Man City to fourth place in the 36-team group stage standings with 10 points from four matches.