6 days ago
14
Manchester City star Phil Foden spoke about his maturity this season as he looks to take on a leading role.
Phil Foden has taken it upon himself to lead Manchester City this season - despite not being part of the captaincy group. The England international is not one of the five-man team marshalled by Bernardo Silva but is adding extra responsibility to his game to help him be as decisive as he wants to be.
Foden got his team out of jail against Leeds, scoring in the 91st minute to rescue a 3-2 win after the Blues had thrown away a two-goal lead. Pep Guardiola's side should have been out of sight after Josko Gvardiol added to another excellent Foden goal in the opening minute of the game but had a defensive meltdown in the second half before the late reprieve.
The goals drew more comparisons to the 2023/24 season when Foden was named the league's best player as City made history with a fourth consecutive title. For those who have watched him this year since the Manchester derby, the 25-year-old has been in excellent form - albeit in a deeper role that has seen him score less - that has seen him earn a recall to the England squad.
After admitting physical and mental burnout last season that stopped him from ever getting going, Foden has been rejuvenated in recent months. Where earlier in the year he was drained of any energy or emotion, he has spent the last week vowing to make up for missing an effort in the Newcastle defeat.
"I have the hunger inside me. I know I was frustrated after the Newcastle game because I missed a few chances. It was eating me up inside a little bit for the last few days, if I was honest," he said. "I just wanted to put it right today and try and make a difference. I'm really thankful that today it came off for me.
"I managed to score two crucial goals to help us win the game. That's the kind of player I want to be. Deciding games and trying to be the player that people look to to try and make a difference. I'm happy.
"I think this is a good step in the right direction for me personally. It will give me a lot of confidence. I just want to go again now and just put full focus on the next game because we've got hard games coming up."
Foden is in the right frame of mind to help City get to where they want to be, and has also added to his game this season. On top of the tweaks from playing in a deeper role, he has made it a personal mission to make sure Guardiola's instructions are followed and to make sure the team are not overly reliant on Erling Haaland.
Saturday was a small step towards the latter, with Foden's brace meaning City finally have a player other than Haaland with more than one Premier League goal this season. The Stockport playmaker is focused on making sure his influence continues however the Norwegian performs.
"It can't just come from him every game. As you can see today, when he's fully marked out the game, other players have to step up," he said.
"I'm just feeling better about my game. Obviously, I've made a few adjustments. I've been playing a little bit deeper. Not this game, but previously.
"I would say I've become more mature. I think now I'm one of the leaders as well. Maybe not as a captain, but on the pitch. I like to see myself as one of the leaders. Obviously, I've worked with the manager for one of the longest now so I know what he wants and the standards he sets.
"I just try and help as much as I can on the pitch. I see myself as a leader on the pitch. Hopefully, I can help the team as much as possible. Games like this will definitely help my confidence."
English (US) ·