MANCHESTER, England — Pep Guardiola expressed confidence that Phil Foden “is back” after the English forward scored twice in Manchester City‘s 4-1 triumph against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League on Wednesday.
Foden was recognized as the Premier League‘s top player for the 2023-24 season, helping City secure their fourth consecutive title. However, he experienced a challenging previous season, mirroring the struggles of many teammates, as Guardiola’s squad finished third in the standings and lost in the FA Cup final.
– Dynamic and dangerous, Foden must be part of England’s World Cup squad
Wednesday marked Foden’s first career brace in the Champions League, elevating his goal total in the competition to 20. He becomes the seventh English player to reach this milestone and, at 25 years and 161 days, is the second-youngest to do so, following Wayne Rooney (24 years, 157 days).
“This season, he’s back, yeah, this season,” Guardiola stated following the victory over Dortmund, which moved City to fourth in the Champions League standings.
“Not just Phil, all of us struggled [last season].
“When Phil is at that level, playing between the lines and in the spaces, it doesn’t matter what happens.
“He’s a special player, and we definitely need his goals. Today marks hopefully the first step towards that. It’s crucial to have him back.”
Two seasons ago, Foden netted 19 league goals, but that figure dropped to seven last season. His form has resulted in him being excluded from the last three England squads.
Thomas Tuchel will announce his group for World Cup qualifiers against Serbia and Albania on Friday, with Foden hoping for a call-up.
“Thomas is very astute and knows exactly what the national team needs; I believe he understands Phil very well,” Guardiola remarked.
“There’s no one in this country or worldwide who doesn’t recognize his quality and skill.
“England is fortunate to have an abundance of talented players, so in that position, competition is high, and Phil must continuously strive to improve.
“When we secured our fourth consecutive Premier League title, he was the best player in the league.
“He’s a world-class player. We’ve missed him a lot, and now he feels like he’s back.”
This report utilized information from ESPN Research.