NET KING COLE!
Teen Palmer’s a Euro star and fab Foden makes dominant City tick
BRUGES had a buzz about it over the last day or so, the restaurants and cafes full of locals desperate to discuss Kevin De Bruyne.
Born almost an hour away in Ghent, there is no obvious connection between him and Club Bruges but regardless, this was a homecoming. The boy done good, back playing his first club match in Belgium since leaving for the Premier League riches.
This place was so hospitable that Seven Nation Army by the White Stripes, the tune Manchester City fans use to serenade their talisman, soundtracked his warm-up.
As De Bruyne departed the scene with this game well won two hours later, all four sides of the Jan Breydel Stadium rose as one to afford one of this country’s finest products a standing ovation. You would not see that in England.
This was not all about De Bruyne though. This was about the young lads: Phil Foden and Cole Palmer.
Suggesting that anyone will surpass De Bruyne’s importance to this team borders blasphemy, but Foden must go pretty close soon.
The majority of City’s big moments in reaching last season’s Champions League final had Foden’s prints all over them — none of their players have contributed towards more European goals over the last 12 months — and he is knitting a strikerless unit together wonderfully.
He was again their standout but another star continues to emerge — even younger than he. Palmer, 19, is a name worth remembering, sauntering on when replacing De Bruyne as if this was all very normal. Two minutes later, he had scored City’s fourth of the night.
A trademark Palmer finish off the right, collecting a pass and curling left-footed into the far corner. He is an exceptionally special talent and, after a quick substitute appearance in Saturday’s win over Burnley, hopped over Ashton New Road to score a hat-trick for the club’s Under 23 team. The new Foden before Foden has even fully flourished. A scary prospect.
Pep Guardiola will enjoy having the development of these two on his c.v. and this dominant victory put City back in the driving seat to reach the knockout stages.
They went in at half-time two up, having two others disallowed, a professional dispatch of an unfancied side who had already taken points off Paris Saint-Germain and RB Leipzig in this group.
Foden crafted the first, dropping deep from his false-nine station with the nonchalance of a man who knows these are the sorts of occasions he now orchestrates.
From a crowded midfield, Foden saw the penetrative Joao Cancelo galloping from left back — darting between three defenders — and took on quarterback duties, clipping perfectly into space. Cancelo’s exemplary chest control took him past an agitated Clinton Mata, the Portuguese ignoring a clear shove in the back to slip the ball under Simon Mignolet.
Where does Guardiola play Foden now? Stick him anywhere and he runs all the plays, directs all the traffic, but for the minute, the central striker’s position looks the best bet given the energy and conviction to his game.
City’s and England’s future will be built around him in the coming years. The six-year contract that will be announced imminently is music to the club’s ears.
But back to Bruges, whose back four looked like they had been through an aggressive tumbledryer after one City move, switched from side to side at pace, which would have gone close in any goal of the season competition.
Riyad Mahrez sent former Liverpool goalkeeper Mignolet the wrong way from the spot just before the break to double City’s lead. Mahrez won the penalty himself, Stanley Nsoki’s lazy challenge grounding the Algerian, and effectively sealed the hosts’ fate.
There ought to have been plenty more — Rodri and Jack Grealish saw goals chalked off for a marginal offside and a gentle push.
Kyle Walker got in on the act, latching on to De Bruyne’s clever through ball to slide past Mignolet before Raheem Sterling scurried through to pick out Palmer for his second senior goal. Sterling might have had a hat-trick but squandered chances when put through.
Hans Vanaken swept in a consolation, although there was time for Mahrez to complete the rout. He has seven goals in his last seven European games, as integral as Foden during last year’s run. This offered signs that reaching another final is not beyond them.