WATCH: How Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has got the best out of Phil Foden

Manchester City's Spanish manager Pep Guardiola (L) hungs Manchester City's English midfielder Phil Foden after the UEFA Champions League semi-final second leg football match between Real Madrid CF and Manchester City at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid

File. Manchester City, led by coach Pep Guardiola (left) have been firing on all cylinders and Phil Foden (right) is a vital cog in this juggernaut of English football. Picture: Paul Ellis/AFP

Published Mar 20, 2024

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Title race

I don’t think anybody could honestly say they thought the title race will be this tight.

In my football career, or in my lifetime, this is the best title race I have seen. Three top teams going head to head and putting everything on the line.

It keeps everybody on the edge of their seats, but if you are a Manchester City fan, Arsenal fan or Liverpool fan you might get heart palpitations at times. But it makes the Premier League what it is today.

Erling Haaland

He is so good, especially in front of goal. I’ve been in front of goal a few times, and in some cases I have shot, the goalkeeper saved it and I come away after the game and think ‘why didn’t I do that’.

I watched Erling Haaland against Luton in the cup. He was through on goal, should have chipped the the goalkeeper and the ‘keeper saved it.

When he went through a second time, he chipped the ‘keeper. So he seems to learn and able to correct what he did in that game the second time he gets that chance.

That amazes me - how quick his thought process is and how quickly he realises what he should have done and makes sure to correct it.

Pep Guardiola

Pep Guardiola is massive to the club. I don’t think it’s just about Pep, but the team that comes with him, his backroom staff.

Everybody that is employed by the club has made it smooth for the players to go on the pitch without worrying about anything outside of football.

Even some of the games they have lost this year, they have still played well. I love his attitude, if we are losing, we’re going to lose my way it seems for Pep and that never changes.

Phil Foden

Phil Foden has a natural ability to cause problems and create chances.

In the Premier League he takes the ball on the back-foot more than anyone else. He does have a massive role to play.

There was a lot of noise when he first burst on the scene - ‘why isn’t he playing, why isn’t he starting’. But Pep knew what he was doing by nurturing him.

Phil knew he didn’t have to go anywhere because he was being nurtured by the likes of David Silva,

@JohnGoliath82

IOL Sport