RevSportz Comment
There was a time when Phil Foden’s nickname, “Stockport Messi”, was used to mock him and Manchester City’s delusions of grandeur. Not any more. City are champions of Europe, and the world, and on course for an unprecedented fourth English title in succession. After the manner in which Manchester United were taken apart, despite Marcus Rashford giving them an early lead with an Exocet, you would find few arguments against City pulling that off, or Pep Guardiola’s assertion that Foden sets the standard for the rest of the league.
“Absolutely not,” said Eric ten Hag, United’s manager, when asked after the game if the 3-1 result reflected the gulf between the two sides. It’s hard to tell what game he was watching! The numbers were damning enough – City had 73 per cent possession and 27 shots to United’s three. In the 90 minutes played after Rashford’s wonder strike, Ederson in the City goal didn’t even have to make a save.
Teams being outplayed at the Etihad is nothing new. Chelsea and Liverpool, both drew there earlier in the season. Liverpool had just 40 per cent of the ball, while City had 71 per cent possession against Chelsea. But both those teams offered a potent threat on the counter, something United failed to do once Rashford had fluffed two decent chances midway through the first half.
In truth, it was astonishing that United led at the break. Andre Onana produced stunning saves to deny Foden (twice) and Rodri, while Erling Haaland volleying over from inside the six-yard box was one of the big misses of the season. And this was without considering the countless last-ditch blocks made by the likes of Rafael Varane and Jonny Evans.
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Foden now has 18 goals and 10 assists from 40 outings this season. More importantly, he has transformed matches when City needed it the most. His second-half hat-trick saw off a dogged Brentford side that had taken the lead, and it was his strike that beat in-form Bournemouth as well to keep City in the title race.
Against United, his first goal was a thing of beauty, cutting it from the right and arrowing a left-footer into the far corner even as Scott McTominay and Evans failed to close him down quickly enough. The second, with 10 minutes of normal time remaining, shone a light on his positional awareness and fluidity of movement. A quick exchange of passes with Julian Alvarez on the left wing, before ghosting into the box and clipping the ball inside Onana’s left-hand post.
“He was always a talented player but now he is more mature and understands the game more, especially defensively,” said Guardiola to the BBC after the game. “He can play middle, right, make moments and cut inside, play in the left, scoring from the left. What can I say? He is the best player in the Premier League right now for the amount of things he does. Unbelievable.”
That versatility, to play any attacking position with such poise, is what invites the Messi comparisons, and if Foden and Jude Bellingham stay fit, it’s hard to see England not winning Euro 2024.
For City, there are now only four potential hurdles before that fourth consecutive title arrives at the Etihad. The biggest could be at a raucous Anfield next Sunday against a Liverpool side that Guardiola has repeatedly name-checked as his biggest rivals. That it could be his final game against Jurgen Klopp – who has beaten him more times (12) than any other coach – adds spice to the meeting.
City’s next two league matches after Anfield are at home against Arsenal and Aston Villa, the other two teams in the top four. Take seven points or more from those three matches, and it’s hard to see how City won’t retain their crown, with the only other banana skin likely to be a Tottenham Hotspur side whose coach, Ange Postecoglou, doesn’t take a backward step.
As for United, the most damning words were uttered more than a week before this derby defeat. “It’s been a complete misery, really, in the last 11 years and it’s just frustrating if you’re a supporter,” said Sir Jim Ratcliffe, after his minority stake in United was ratified and he and his team assumed responsibility for the football operations. “It’s one of the biggest clubs in the world. It should be playing the best football in the world and hasn’t been doing that for 10 or 11 years.”
Sunday night was a sobering reminder that they aren’t even the biggest club in their city.