By The Telegraph (World News) | Created at 2024-10-29 18:11:43 | Updated at 2024-11-02 02:21:59
1 week ago
While Haaland has been prolific all season, this match will also mark the return of Foden. There was a hint from Guardiola ahead of this victory that Foden has been looking to get mentally, as well as physically, fit this season.
“With Phil, you realise immediately when he’s happy and fit and mentally in the right moment….you realise immediately he’s getting better and better,” said Guardiola.
As he wheeled away in celebration just a few minutes after kick-off, there was a beaming smile on Foden’s face and he looked mentally, physically - totally - in the right place. It has been a slow start to the campaign for the PFA player of the year. Last season he was in almost every starting line-up for Guardiola but it has been a different story.
The summer at the European Championship with England took its toll, at the very least in terms of pre-season. Foden and his England team-mates returned later than most of the squad after reaching the final stage of the tournament. There was a stomach problem which sidelined him, with Guardiola gesturing to his abdomen when asked to explain the issue.
It was only Foden’s fourth start of the season, all of those coming in the last month, which tallies with Guardiola’s assessment of his player getting “better and better”. He is in a better place, but where is best on the pitch will always spark debate.
Here, he started in central midfield and it was difficult for Sparta Prague to know how to deal with his runs from deep. His goal, after 150 seconds, came after Manuel Akanji fed him the ball on the edge of the area, he skipped past Qazim Laci and Kaan Kairinen before driving into the bottom corner.
Foden looks comfortable as a No8. He was positioned slightly more advanced than Ilkay Gundogan and to his right, able to make late runs into the penalty area like Frank Lampard used to.
“I’ve had a pretty slow start to the season so it’s just getting a bit match sharp,” said Foden. “It’s very good for my confidence, obviously scoring and getting back out there and feeling sharp again. I’m going in the right direction.
“Off of being the best player last year, that’s the standard that everyone wants to see and that’s the standard I set myself. The season is long enough to get back to my level. I just need to keep going. I’m always putting pressure on myself to get better in training and do better things.”
