Guardiola: I was a genius to pick Phil!
TEENAGER Phil Foden may keep his place for Manchester City’s biggest Premier League game of the season at Old Trafford on Wednesday because of an injury to Kevin De Bruyne.
Foden, 18, scored his first league goal in the 1-0 victory against Tottenham having been given a rare start by Guardiola and the manager confirmed he is under consideration for the Manchester derby after De Bruyne limped out on 38 minutes with a suspected hamstring problem.
‘I am a genius because I selected Phil and he scored a goal,’ said Guardiola lightheartedly as his side bounced back from their Champions League exit against Spurs three days earlier.
‘He is an incredibly talented player but we need to handle him in the right moment. Today we needed his capacity to press high and he has quality to arrive in the box. He always gets chances to score when he plays. It is not easy to play against Eric Dier and Dele Alli and was an incredible experience for him. We trust him.’
City’s win saw them return to the top of the table after a 10th consecutive victory in the league.
Liverpool will leapfrog them again today if they win at Cardiff, but City’s game in hand — at Old Trafford — now looks critical.
De Bruyne’s latest setback in an injury-hit season gives Guardiola a selection problem in midfield with Ilkay Gundogan, David Silva and Fernandinho the other options.
‘Maybe Foden will play, maybe Kevin is not there so we will see,’ he said. ‘I need to enjoy today and rest a bit and then watch as much games as possible from United.
‘I haven’t spoken yet with Kevin or the doctors but I think it is a muscular injury and he will be out for the next games. He pointed his hand towards his hamstring.’
Foden, who had only previously started one Premier League game, scored the decisive goal with a header after five minutes and afterwards Bernardo Silva insisted he took the TV man-of-the-match award given to the Portuguese player.
Foden said: ‘When an opportunity comes along, I want to be able to take it. Today it paid off. Kun (Aguero) did great to head it back across goal and luckily I was there.
‘I want to get in the box and score goals. I look up to every player in this team and try to learn.’
Goalkeeper Ederson also had to make three vital saves to ensure the narrow victory.
But City will be relieved to have returned to winning ways following Wednesday’s heartache and Guardiola added: ‘It wasn’t our best performance but Spurs played with nothing to lose, and we had the Premier League to lose.
‘It was a really tough couple of days but we reacted incredibly well, to be here after 100 points last season is one of the most remarkable things in my career.’