Pep Guardiola reaction to Phil Foden substitution said everything for Man City

Manchester City had Phil Foden to thank as the playmaker put in another impressive shift with a goal and an assist at Huddersfield

Come for the goal, stay for the midfield marshalling that steered Manchester City through to the next round of the Carabao Cup. Pep Guardiola made nine changes from Sunday for their trip to Huddersfield, yet it was Phil Foden - starting his fourth game in 11 days - who stepped up and took responsibility in a 2-0 win.

The first-half goal to give City the lead was textbook, exchanging passes outside the area with debutant Divine Mukasa before getting the ball out of his feet and firing the ball into the far corner. But City will be even more thrilled with the desire and energy Foden showed to push himself to his limit to make the difference for the team.

Last season was horrible for the 25-year-old. He was spent mentally and physically on the back of his incredible 2023/24 campaign, and finished the year as peripheral to Guardiola's plans as he had started it.

Even in the summer, freshness at the Club World Cup was followed by more knocks, just 15 minutes of game time in the opening three games, and no place in Thomas Tuchel's squad for England's fixtures earlier this month. Foden looked a long way from his best still.

He isn't there yet, and this was only League One side Huddersfield he was up against, but it was a dominant performance. From the first minute to the 76th when he was finally given a breather, he was in the middle of the pitch either demanding the ball or speeding between the boxes.

It helped to give City an early advantage, but was then central in maintaining it. Nobody on the pitch made more key passes or completed more dribbles.

Huddersfield threatened a comeback in the second half but James Trafford - one of six City academy players in the XI - did not have a save to make. After those Jose Mourinho comparisons at Arsenal on Sunday, Guardiola's team enjoyed 75 per cent possession to barely give the Terriers a kick.

Not that City did enough with their possession, with Nicholls second-half saves from the lively Mukasa, Nico O'Reilly and Oscar Bobb their only other real chances. But after a gruelling week that took its toll on the squad, City will simply be happy to maintain their momentum.

Going forward, Foden looks the real positive. It took him until Boxing Day last year to play four games in a row last year and he has now managed it in just the seventh game of this season.

The playmaker has spoken recently about taking on the mantle of Kevin De Bruyne at the club but Guardiola will settle for this version of Foden that can run himself into the ground while contributing decisive goals before doing it all again a few days later.

His last action on the pitch was to calmly find Savinho in the box to smash in the game-settling second goal and allow City to cruise through the final 15 minutes. Even when his number came up, Guardiola would not let him get to his seat without an effusive chat in the dugout.

The manager looked delighted, and if Foden can stay in this groove City can start thinking about going the distance this season.

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