Phil Foden’s City career flatlining as Guardiola insists ‘step by step, he will be back’
phil foden has become a peripheral figure for Manchester City after a costly performance in a Wednesday night (ET) 2-2 draw at the Etihad that saw him lose his marker for a late equaliser; the dip arrives as City chase a historic quadruple. The draw left City vulnerable in the Premier League title race while they prepare for an FA Cup trip to Newcastle on Saturday night (ET), a Champions League last-16 first leg in Spain (ET) and the Carabao Cup final on 22 March (ET). Manager Pep Guardiola has defended the player and said the recovery will be gradual.
Expanding details — what happened and why it matters
City led Nottingham Forest 2-1 when a loose touch from Foden allowed Elliot Anderson to run free and curl home the equaliser; Morgan Gibbs-White’s earlier goal was also traced to a loose Foden touch. Sixty seconds after Anderson’s strike Guardiola substituted his England playmaker, and the match finished 2-2, a result that shifted momentum in the title race away from City.
Foden has not been a regular starter: this was only his second start in the past seven Premier League matches and he had been benched for the two league games prior to this appearance. After a purple run that produced eight goals in nine games earlier in the season, the playmaker has since gone 17 appearances without a goal and is no longer an automatic selection for England’s World Cup plans. His current City contract runs until June 2027.
Phil Foden: Guardiola and teammates react
“Step by step, he will be back, ” Pep Guardiola, Manchester City manager, said in defence of his player, urging patience and highlighting Foden’s underlying dynamics and attacking openings created in recent matches. Bernardo Silva, Manchester City midfielder, expressed frustration at defensive basics after the draw, saying the team must defend the movements that led to the goal. Phil Foden, England international and Manchester City player, has acknowledged off-field struggles and said, “I’ve had a lot of things going on off the pitch mentally” and that if off-field issues were resolved he would be better on the field.
Quick context
Foden was widely billed as the player to succeed Kevin De Bruyne and had been a leading creative figure since his debut years earlier. He produced promising moments in the close season, including goals in international club competition, but the recent stretch has left him at an intriguing juncture.
What’s next — the run-in and what to watch
City face an FA Cup fifth-round trip to Newcastle on Saturday night (ET), a Champions League first leg in Spain (ET) and the Carabao Cup final on 22 March (ET); each match raises the stakes for selection and form. Guardiola will be looking for spark and consistency from phil foden across those fixtures as City attempt to sustain a challenge on multiple fronts and the manager works to restore the player’s confidence.
