Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
THE GAME THAT TURNED CITY WONDERKID INTO A MAN Pep insists Foden ‘grew up’ during his match-winning displays against Dortmund and, despite the pressure of chasing a City Quadruple, he’s up there with Mbappe and Neymar
PHIL FODEN cemented his status as one of Manchester City’s most influential players as they booked their Champions League semi-final place.
But the demands on the 20-yearold are now relentless, and City’s pursuit of the unprecedented Quadruple face another giant hurdle at Wembley tomorrow when they face Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-final.
Foden has plundered 13 goals this season, the best return of his career, and has filled the void left by the departure of legend David Silva – just as boss Pep Guardiola was confident he would.
Stockport-born Foden is also keeping Raheem Sterling out of the starting line-up, having taken his place on the left side of City’s attack.
After scoring the winning goals in both legs of the quarter-final against Borussia Dortmund,
Guardiola hailed Foden’s remarkable progress this season.
“He grew up,” said Guardiola. “In the quarter-final of the Champions League, he was the important player to help us go through to play against Paris Saint-germain.
“You have the feeling that he is a guy who never hides. He always creates something. He’s dynamic offensively and defensively, with quality in the smaller spaces.” While it remains to be seen whether Sterling can rediscover the form that made him one of City’s most potent attackers, right now Foden is simply undroppable.
He has been a key figure in City’s chase for four trophies, in particular his man-of-the-match display in City’s 4-1 demolition of soon-to-be dethroned champions Liverpool at Anfield.
But his performances in both legs of the triumph over Dortmund, with so much on the line for City and Guardiola after three successive quarter-final exits, were ultimately the peak.
Foden’s emergence as a player of real stature this season, one who can be relied on to deliver whenever picked, wherever he plays, has vindicated Guardiola’s nuanced management of him.
Rather than pander to the demand to give him more game-time at