Phil Foden is living in a nightmare. Indeed, the 25-year-old attacking midfielder is currently going through one of the most complicated periods of his time at Manchester City: he has not scored in 20 appearances. The English striker, who started the season on a high, has been struggling for several months to regain his effectiveness in front of goal. Since December 14, he has not scored a single goal, ending an impressive run in which he scored six times and provided an assist in just four games, including two braces against Leeds and Fulham in the Premier League.
The observation is cruel: in the last 10 matches in all competitions, Foden has only started four times. The hierarchy now seems to be taking shape behind similar profiles, like Rayan Cherki, or even behind the new winter recruit such as Antoine Semenyo, while Savinho also seems ahead of him in the last matches. This constant rotation questions Foden’s real place in Pep Guardiola’s team, especially given the player’s excellent start to the season, who was tipped to be the English player of the season… It’s a failure.
Pep Guardiola confirms doubts
The Catalan coach, questioned about his player’s situation at a press conference, remained cautious: “I thought he played very well against Forest. But we are used to seeing him be incredibly decisive in the final third… These type of players, these great talents, have to fit into a certain organization, otherwise it is not possible. They must be able to express themselves. And as soon as he unlocks a little action, he will come back, because he is always able to help and achieve it. » The statement underlines Guardiola’s intact confidence, but it also reveals that Foden has not yet regained the offensive freedom that had been his strength.
Foden’s appearance in the Carabao Cup final against Arsenal (2-0) was considered “symbolic” by some observers. Coming on in the 90th minute to replace Rayan Cherki, in a victory for the Citizens at Wembley Stadium, his minimal playing time was described as “charity replacement” by former England captain Wayne Rooney. On the Wayne Rooney Show of the BBCRooney was surprised and very worried: “seeing Phil Foden come into a cup final was like a charity substitution to put him on the pitch… It seems strange that he couldn’t get close to the starting team…”
A very worrying situation
The player himself does not hide his frustration, but maintains a professional attitude. “Football is sometimes not easy. There are ups and downs and sometimes you can’t be the best version of yourself and that’s just the way it is. It’s just a matter of how you pick yourself back up. I always keep my head down, trying to train as much as possible each day. Hopefully I’ll come back after the internationals a lot sharper and hopefully I can get more minutes and be back to where I was at the start of the season.”said Foden after the title against Arsenal.
In the English selection, the situation is also starting to worry. With fierce competition at his position – Jude Bellingham, Eberechi Eze, Marcus Rashford, Noni Madueke, Cole Palmer and Bukayo Saka – the question of his presence for the 2026 World Cup arises. Although he has been called up to the extended list for the upcoming friendlies against Uruguay and Japan, Foden has never been indispensable in the eyes of Thomas Tuchel, as shown by his limited selections and his lack of indisputable starting status.
Foden must quickly bounce back to play the World Cup
Tuchel spoke about his potential role during the latest Three Lions gathering: “Foden as false nine? It’s an option. I want him in the center of the field, close to the opponent’s area. He is playing a bit more of a back role this season with Manchester City, which he is doing excellently and very impressively. Maybe in the coming months he will be an option for the number eight position. But right now it’s between a nine and a ten. » Fortunately for him, Thomas Tuchel seems to maintain confidence in himself and these comments highlight his versatility.
With the World Cup starting on June 11, Foden still has a few months to regain his starting place at Manchester City, convince Guardiola of his newfound level and finally assert himself in the selection. The road is still long and strewn with pitfalls, but his talent remains recognized and his record – 18 trophies since his debut – testify to his value. Now, will Phil Foden be able to transform this delicate period into a renaissance before the summer? Response in the coming weeks.
