Pep Guardiola offers fatherly advice to Phil Foden after Manchester City struggles | OneFootball

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola retains faith in Phil Foden and has given his two cents on the England international’s struggles in the previous campaign.

Foden, like many of his Manchester City teammates, suffered a noticeable dip in form over the course of the 2024-25 campaign as his boyhood club recorded a third-place Premier League finish with their lowest points tally in the league under Guardiola (71).

The 25-year-old was voted the PFA Players’ Player of the Season for the 2023-24 campaign as he spearheaded Manchester City to a record fourth consecutive Premier League title, bagging 27 goals and 13 assists in 53 appearances in all competitions two seasons ago.

However, the Stockport-born forward struggled to maintain his form and grappled with injuries last term, limiting his influence on a Manchester City side that heavily leaned on him during the 2023-24 campaign and also missed former architect-in-chief Kevin De Bruyne – who joined Napoli this summer – for much of the season.

In several interviews over the summer, Foden reflected candidly on his lacklustre performances for Manchester City last term and admitted to mental and physical struggles taking a toll on him in the midst of Guardiola’s most challenging season at the Etihad Stadium.

However, after impressing at the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States earlier this summer, Foden is taking matters into his own hands as he looks to return to his best self and help his side to a fifth Premier League title in six seasons.

Speaking to the press prior to Tottenham’s visit to the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, Guardiola delivered an honest verdict on Foden’s form over the last 12 months. “Maybe it was the first season that was after six or seven (seasons) winning everything and (Foden) dropped a little bit,” the 54-year-old said.

“The question is if he (Foden) learned the lesson, he has experienced it, that would be great. Always there are seasons that you can’t be like you were. Phil (Foden) has been incredibly consistent, incredible in these many years, a lot. And this is what we are looking for.”

When quizzed on if Foden has rediscovered his mojo since the Club World Cup, Guardiola added: “Yes, Phil applied the consistency we wanted. He was really good and after had this problem in his ankle, but it’s fine.

“I would say much, much better. So what can I say about Phil?! The last Premier League we won (2023-24), he was massively important. He was the best player in the Premier League. I remember the last game against West Ham, the two goals early.

“Phil is top class, and extraordinary player. Always I try to convince him that he can be better, can read the situations better. As much as he is happy and he is a joy to play, Phil gives something unique.”

City ended their Club World Cup campaign against Al-Hilal in the Round of 16 in disappointing finish and despite Foden sparking a potential comeback off the bench, Guardiola shoulders some of the blame with regards to his substitutions.

“I regret maybe in the game against Al Hilal not bringing him (Foden) on earlier; a team so deep, him and Rayan (Cherki) creating that, but after that, the balance in that moment, the game was so up and down, up and down transitions,” Guardiola added.

“And when it happened, we wanted to be more solid and always think with Phil (Foden) and Rayan (Cherki), maybe we concede more transitions and that’s why we spend a little bit more time to bring on them.

“But listen, I never doubted the quality of Phil (Foden), what he gives us, and the only thing I want is his joy to play again, him to be happy, and be again game, game, game, training, training, training, and being 90 minutes always gives you something special and unique.”