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Manchester City captain Kyle Walker lauded “sniper” Phil Foden after his brace helped secure a 3-1 come-from-behind victory over Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium.
Foden equaled Marcus Rashford’s impressive first-half goal with his own well-executed shot 11 minutes into the second half.
The player, originally from Stockport, scored again in the 80th minute, and then Erling Haaland sealed a Manchester derby win in extra time.
When questioned about Foden’s impressive goal to tie the game, Walker responded to Sky Sports by saying, “When he approaches with his left foot…we refer to him as the sniper, because he enjoys taking shots.”
He enjoys taking a shot, so when he approaches with his left foot, you can be sure he has the skill and composure to choose his target. I believe he executed his goal extraordinarily well.
Foden moved to the left flank and was able to net his second goal, securing a crucial win for City in their pursuit of the Premier League title.
Walker commented, “The second goal, most likely from the left side, is not a typical position for Phil. However, him being able to score in the corner demonstrates his versatility.”
This year, he has also been reliable in a central role, which demonstrates the level of responsibility he has assumed. We rely on him and his contributions are crucial.
He has a passion for shooting and makes an effort to practice regularly while also putting in extra work. As a result, he is seeing success with scoring goals and needs to maintain his high standards in order to continue this success.
In my opinion, this season he has been exceptional. He consistently strives for the highest level, as do we as his team, his manager (Pep Guardiola), and he must continue to maintain this standard.
Foden, with a total of 18 goals for City this season, stated, “My objective is to excel in the crucial matches.”
“I am determined to achieve this goal and I believe I am showing it this season. I must continue to put in effort during training and perform consistently, while continuously striving to improve.”
“I comprehend the significance of a derby at the Etihad for the fans and it holds great meaning for me as well. Scoring adds to the satisfaction, but ultimately, securing the victory was the top priority today.”
Despite their efforts, United’s protests for a foul against Rashford by Walker were unsuccessful. Manager Erik ten Hag was also shown a yellow card for his reaction on the sidelines.
When questioned about the event, Walker responded, “I have not reflected on it, so I am not sure – I did not think there was much involved.”
“It is likely that I acted in my usual manner and inadvertently made contact with someone’s arm. However, the referee has reviewed the incident using VAR, and we must accept his decision. It’s just unfortunate that the opposing team was able to score afterwards, but that’s just how things go sometimes.”
Source: independent.co.uk