DE BRUYNE: PHIL IS ON ANOTHER LEVEL

KEVIN DE BRUYNE insisted that he has watched Phil Foden ‘go up another level’ after his team-mate hit a brace in the 4-0 demolition of Brighton which bolstered Manchester City’s title charge.

De Bruyne opened the scoring with his first headed goal in the Premier League before Foden scored two and Julian Alvarez added a fourth to complete the rout.

City leapfrogged Liverpool, who were beaten at Everton on Wednesday, and are now second in the Premier League table — a point behind leaders Arsenal but with one all-important game in hand.

Hailing the increasing influence 23-year-old Foden now has on Pep Guardiola’s side, De Bruyne said: ‘I saw Phil from the beginning (of his career) and I think it takes a while to get used to a Pep team.

‘I think now he is trusted to play centrally and Phil does what he does for six or seven years already. He has been doing this for years, has helped us win titles and he has gone up another level.’

Asked about the novelty factor of his 17th-minute header, the man who normally scores with exquisite shots admitted: ‘It doesn’t happen too much.

‘Kyle (Walker) gave a good cross and I think the only way I could reach it is by jumping to it. I will take it but it’s not something I am good at!’

Delighted with his team’s four goals, Guardiola refused to accept that the title was now between City and Arsenal after Liverpool’s defeat in the Merseyside derby. ‘It is not,’ he said.

‘What happened to Liverpool, two defeats in a row, it can happen to Arsenal, it can happen to us. What is important is still we are there. ‘There are five games left, the margins are so tight. We have to win every one. Each game we are closer.’