PEP IS JEALOUS OF JURGEN

PHIL FODEN insists that facing Liverpool has now overtaken the derby to become the biggest game in Manchester City’s season.

The 20-year-old was born-and-bred in the City heartland of Stockport.

His dad supports Manchester United – but he opted to follow his mum by becoming a fanatical Blue.

And he now reckons Liverpool’s emergence as the biggest threat to City in the Premier League title race in recent years makes today’s clash between the champions and the team in first place as the game that matters most.

Foden said: “It is probably the biggest game that we face in the league now.

“If we can beat them it will be a massive win and will help us progress to the title – hopefully.

“It has always been a massive game. When I was younger, it was more about the derby.

“Liverpool are a great side and have so many great attackers.

“It is going to be a very difficult game and I can see it being quite even and end-to-end.

“On the day, whoever takes their chances will come out on top.”

Foden (below) has been in brilliant form in recent weeks as City have put together a 20-game unbeaten run to storm to the top of the Premier League, the Carabao Cup final and the last 16 of the Champions League, hitting the net nine times this season.

He said: “I always had a dream that I would play here and to make 100 appearances for the club that I have always enjoyed watching and supported is massive.

“You give 100 per cent and give your passion to every game. That’s what I feel like I do.

“I couldn’t have asked for anyone better (than Guardiola) to progress my game.

“He has changed me into a man pretty quickly because I came to the first team at such a young age. He developed me quickly and changed my game completely and turned me into a better player all around.”

City haven’t won at Anfield since May 2003 – 25 days before Foden celebrated his third birthday.

He added: “Going to Anfield, we have struggled pretty much every time for whatever reason.

“We haven’t won there for a while. “Hopefully we can change that. “We are playing really good football at the moment and playing with confidence.

“But we know the danger of dropping points and there is still a long way to go.

“Every big team has had a bad spell.

“We still have to keep putting pressure on the teams below us by winning.”