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Pep Guardiola praised fantastic Phil Foden and said the Manchester City midfielder is developing into a world-class player after his wonderful, derby-winning display against Manchester United.
Erik ten Hag’s struggling team, Red Devils, were expected to suffer embarrassed at Etihad Stadium, but a surprising goal from Marcus Rashford gave them a lead at half-time.
United faced intense pressure for extended periods both before and after halftime, ultimately succumbing when 23-year-old Foden equalized with a remarkable goal in the 56th minute and then later scored to put City ahead with 10 minutes remaining.
In the final moments of the game, Erling Haaland scored a goal to enhance the team’s lead. However, the standout player in Sunday’s crucial 3-1 win for Guardiola’s team was clear.
“At the moment, Foden is one of the top players in the Premier League this season,” said the City manager, applauding his man-of-the-match performance.
“He has been the top performer thus far. I always had a sense that he would excel at scoring goals during our training sessions, and now he is delivering wins.”
“To reach an elite level at such a young age, one must consistently win games and possess an impressive work ethic. It is admirable that he does not complain about his position, as long as he performs well.”
“He has a great passion for football, and currently, he’s scoring victories. During the match against Bournemouth, he played as a false nine and showed incredible skill. However, when he missed his first chance against (Andre) Onana, he became slightly nervous. This is understandable given his age, but he will learn from this experience.”
“Rashford and Phil both scored incredible goals.”
On Sunday, Foden aided the team in securing a win after City fell behind for the twelfth time in the season, resulting in a treble win.
This marks their inaugural victory over United in the Premier League, and showcases their ability to bounce back from a deficit of 21 points this season.
They are now only one point away from leaders Liverpool in the standings, setting the stage for an exciting match between the two teams at Anfield next weekend.
“I have Copenhagen in my thoughts right now, but we can discuss Liverpool afterwards,” said Guardiola before Wednesday’s second leg of the Champions League last-16 at Etihad Stadium.
“We still have many opportunities to earn points and visit different locations.”
I consistently had a sense that he would be able to score goals during training sessions, but now he’s actually winning games.
United exited Europe before the holiday season, leaving them solely focused on their upcoming Premier League match against struggling Everton.
During Ten Hag’s second year as coach, the injury-plagued Red Devils have shown a decline and are currently a staggering 19 points behind first-place team, Liverpool. They are set to face Liverpool in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.
Also alarming is the fact that Manchester United, currently in sixth place, are 11 points behind fourth-ranked Aston Villa and six points behind fifth-ranked Tottenham. This gap may still allow them to qualify for the Champions League.
However, Ten Hag believes that United is not too far behind City when injuries are not a factor. He also thinks that crucial choices negatively affected his team’s performance in Sunday’s match.
According to Ten Hag, during crucial moments, we were not fortunate because right before the score became 1-1, Rashford had the opportunity for another break.
“And right before the score became 2-1, Alejandro Garnacho had a breakthrough. I believe we were on the verge of either winning or at least getting a draw here.”
Apparently, Kyle Walker made contact with Rashford during their run, although it cannot be classified as a tackle. Rashford confirmed feeling the contact to me.
“I took another look at it, and it felt really gentle, but when you’re running at top speed, even a slight touch can throw you off and cause you to lose control. I believe that’s exactly what happened.”
When asked about the potential differences between the teams shown in this match, the embattled Ten Hag replied, “I do not believe so. Definitely not. Despite numerous injuries, we still had a chance due to the narrow margin.”
“We could have potentially scored a second goal during a questionable moment, and then also during a second questionable moment. As a result, it’s not as significant of an issue. Our competitiveness is enhanced when everyone is working together.”
“I believe we also demonstrated, as seen in the final match against them, that even in a closely contested game, we must not overlook the fact that City is currently the top team in the world.”
The source is from the Independent website.
