Pep Guardiola has praised the bravery of Phil Foden to take the ball for Manchester City when games are difficult.
Foden came to the fore against Leeds at the weekend with a brace in City’s 3-2 win at the Etihad. His second came in the 91st minute to decide the game in City’s favour, after Leeds had levelled from two goals down.
The 25-year-old has looked back to his best in recent weeks and Guardiola has lavished praise on the midfielder. He hailed Foden’s desire to keep improving and willingness to make things happen when the side are struggling.
“He has an incredible thing, you say ‘Phil you have to play there’, in a position that’s maybe against his potential, like play on the right or play on the left more wide, ‘I want to play right or left, I want to help the team, I want to run’,” Guardiola said.
Guardiola says it’s a pleasure to manage Phil Foden
“It’s an incredible pleasure to be his manager because he’s always open to improve. And after he has the mentality, the composure to say ‘I’m going to win the game’.
“He’s never playing behind the situation. Some players when everything is going good and smooth play their best, but there are some players when the situation is uncomfortable make a step back. Phil is completely the opposite, he says ‘give me [the ball] and [let me] do it’.
“How many times I’ve seen Phil react when he’s in the final third, he’s alone in the box, doesn’t get the ball, he’s frustrated, ‘give me the ball, because I want the ball and I want to score goals’.
“That is the difference between players here [down at this level] and another step [up]. Phil has that. ‘Give me the ball, because I want to dribble, I want to score, I want to win the game’. He’s had this ambition and mentality since he was a little boy. Happy for the two goals because he helped us, he was the man to win the game.”
