CAN YOU PHIL THE FOURCE?
Mahrez hails brilliant Foden as City chase more records... with Quadruple their ultimate goal
RIYAD MAHREZ has hailed Phil Foden’s stunning contribution to a Manchester City side on the threshold of even more football history.
Foden scored the opening goal and Mahrez struck the third at Goodison Park on Wednesday night as City won 3-1 to move 10 points clear at the top of the Premier League as they chase a unique quadruple.
The triumph saw Pep Guardiola’s side break the record of consecutive wins since the start of a calendar year as they made it 10 in a row. They have won 17 matches in a row in all competitions – another top-flight English record.
Midfielder Foden is enjoying his best season at City, with 11 goals from 31 appearances, having become one of Guardiola’s most influential players.
After three seasons of being gradually introduced to the firstteam, he is now an automatic pick.
Guardiola (below) and his men are on course for a third Premier League title in four seasons, they return to Champions League action next week, they are in the FA Cup sixth round in March and have the Carabao Cup final against Spurs in April.
Mahrez, who also scored in City’s win at Goodison Park, reckons England star Foden is now flourishing because the 20-year-old is playing week-in, week-out for Guardiola’s side.
“He’s improving a lot
and when you are young the most important thing is to play and play and play,” said Mahrez.
“That is the best way to improve and this season he has been very good. Everyone has been on top form this season, so we have improved and developed the team.”
Reflecting on City’s win at Everton, which is part of a 24-game unbeaten run, Mahrez said: “It was a good performance overall. We created chances and conceded few. It was a great victory. “We’re focused and trying to win as many games as we can.” Next up is a trip to Arsenal on Sunday – where City won 4-1 in the Carabao Cup just before Christmas – and the record books will be shaking a bit more.
Ahead this season is the chance to smash the mark of 18 for successive wins in the Premier League, which they share with Liverpool.
City achieved that between
August and December 2017 and with 12 already on the board, seven more wins, starting on Sunday and ending at home to Leeds on April 10, would do it.
They can also beat their own Premier League record of the biggest winning margin, which stands at 19 points from the 2017-18 season.
But City have a way to go to eclipse Nottingham Forest’s 40-game record for the longest unbeaten run in all competitions in the English top-flight, with Guardiola’s men on 24.