Pep Guardiola ordered his Manchester City players to stay away from the training ground after a gruelling week left them playing in 'unacceptable' conditions.
03.04.2024 - 23:33 / manchestereveningnews.co.uk
Phil Foden says Pep Guardiola told him to add more rhythm to his game when he plays centrally for Manchester City, something he feels he's now doing.
Foden starred in the No.10 position in Wednesday’s 4-1 win over Aston Villa, grabbing his second hat-trick of the season as Kevin De Bruyne was rested ahead of Crystal Palace on Saturday. The England star has long underlined his preferred option is to play centrally.
Guardiola has almost exclusively played him on the flank prior to this campaign after initially deeming him too erratic in the middle. That has changed this season with Foden explaining how his manager has asked him to operate.
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“I see myself as a really technical player and in the pockets and I think out wide I can do that job, but I think I prefer being in the middle,” Foden told TNT Sports after full-time.
“I think this year I am growing into the game. The manager spoke on showing rhythm and slowing the game down, so I think I have added that to my game now.”
Despite taking home the match ball against Villa, Foden was keen to heap praise on opening goalscorer Rodri. He agreed that the Spaniard is “100 per cent” the best defensive midfielder in the world and branded him as Man City’s most important player.
“He can do everything," said Foden. "He is adding goals to his game, you can see around the box he can dribble. I don’t see a weakness to his game and for me he is our most important player.”
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