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Pep Guardiola described Phil Foden as “world class” and the player of the season after the winger scored a match-winning double in the Manchester derby.
Manchester City was behind after Marcus Rashford scored a goal, but Foden scored twice to bring his total goals for the season to 18 in a 3-1 win.
Guardiola praised the 23-year-old, predicting that he will become a legendary player, as he stated, “Becoming a world-class player is achieved through winning games. While anyone can play well, it takes winning games to truly become a top player. What more can I say?”
“He has a passion for football and it is his ultimate source of joy. There are others who also enjoy playing, but his love for the sport surpasses them all. He will undoubtedly become a legendary player, considering his young age and impressive track record of games played, minutes spent on the field, goals scored, and trophies won. Being a homegrown talent, he has formed a special bond with the fans that is simply remarkable. While he has always been skilled at scoring goals, he now has the ability to score game-winning goals, elevating him to a whole new level as a player.”
He has been the standout player of the year, despite the amazing skill of other players. His impact has been unmatched for our team this season.
Erik ten Hag, the manager of United, stated that the narrow gap between the two teams was evident in Rashford’s powerful goal in the eighth minute.
He stated that Rashford was tripped by Kyle Walker moments before Foden’s tying goal. He received a yellow card for showing disagreement and threw a water bottle in anger. He believed that United had a chance to regain the lead before Rashford scored his second goal.
“He mentioned that on a different day, we could have emerged victorious – it was a close call,” he explained. “This was a crucial moment in the match, when they scored on a counter-attack. It may have been a weak goal, but when you’re sprinting at full speed, it’s easy to lose your footing. Rashy told me that there was contact, and upon reviewing the footage, I can confirm it.”
“Alejandro Garnacho had a 2-1 lead during the break. We were almost able to secure a victory or at least a tie in this match.”
Ten Hag’s team, Manchester United, currently lags behind Aston Villa by 11 points in the standings. However, the coach stated that they still have aspirations of making it into the Champions League for the upcoming season.
He stated, “The fifth position may also secure a spot in the Champions League, so we must strive for it and succeed in our matches.”
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