Foden gets watching brief for a dull derby

DREARY CLASH LOOKED RIPE FOR YOUNGSTER TO SET BLUES ALIGHT BUT CALL NEVER CAME

THOSE summer days when Phil Foden was City’s star of Project Restart seem a long time ago at the moment, the idea that he well and truly made his breakthrough into this side back on pause for now.

This was a tepid Manchester derby that was crying out for the energy and impudence of Foden, not to mention his creativity and his eye for goal.

Instead, he was the only City fan close to the action at Old Trafford, spending the entire game watching from the bench.

The Catalan’s intentions in this game were probably clear when Fernandinho was named alongside Rodri in midfield, ahead of Ilkay Gundogan as well as the more attacking options of Bernardo Silva or Foden.

Even as Rodri struggled Guardiola persisted with the double lock on United’s breaks, paying his due respect to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side after the way they’d been stung on the counter last season.

City’s best chances came and went in the first half and as the game wore on it became clear neither manager wanted to twist, preferring to stick in a derby like no other that will long be forgotten once enemies in front of a heaving mass of supporters is resumed.

The most prolonged spell of City pressure came after the introduction of Ferran Torres for Riyad Mahrez, with the inform Spaniard driving at Luke Shaw and getting the Blues on the front foot, pushing the United defence and creating a little bit of room for Kevin De Bruyne. But that was Guardiola’s only sub – he has now made only five substitutes in City’s last four matches and two of those were injury-enforced – while Solskjaer also made just the one.

City supporters who have become used to seeing their side take the fight to United would have been frustrated by the Blues’ approach and City’s inability to create chances. It’s clear that the creative burden rests on De Bruyne at the moment, but Guardiola has also two 20-year-olds who look ready to inject fresh energy and dynamism into this side.

The decision to only use Torres for the final quarter may have made sense, but Foden’s sudden absence from Premier League duty is harder to explain.

Suddenly he’s become a European specialist for the Blues, rarely used domestically.

Foden hasn’t started a Premier League game since the win over Arsenal on October 17.

Guardiola will no doubt point to the minutes he’s playing in the Champions League and that City did beat Burnley 5-0 and Fulham 2-0 during that run of games without Foden, but this looked like a derby that was crying out for his unique gifts.

This looked like a derby that was crying out for Foden’s gifts Tyrone Marshall