Manchester City star Phil Foden sends Pep Guardiola message with ‘sharp’ performance at Newcastle United

Phil Foden hopes to have sent manager Pep Guardiola a message of intent with the part he played in Manchester City’s 1-0 win over Newcastle United on Saturday night.

The England international shone in a newer, and slightly different central role, and stood out with his inspired offensive display where he created seven chances and made the difference when he picked out Julian Alvarez to blast the Cityzens ahead.

“The manager told me to play more inside today, in between the lines, it’s a role that I enjoy,” he said when speaking to TNT Sports after the game.

“I managed to pick up a good space [for Alvarez’s goal], Kovacic saw me and I’ve seen Julian early and he has this instinct for goal. In and around the box he’s ruthless.”

Despite starting both of Man City’s Premier League games this season, Foden has had to be patient to earn a spot in the starting 11 with Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva usually preferred, plus the emergence of Alvaraz as a starter.

Foden came off the bench in last season's FA Cup and Champions League finals, and more recently in the Community Shield loss to Arsenal, which indicated he would have to earn the right to start this season.

But with injuries to De Bruyne and Silva, Foden has the perfect chance to make the shirt his own - especially in his preferred central role - and show the manager what he can do.

“I'm not going to lie... it’s difficult,” he said, on breaking into the first team. “Being the person I am, I always want to play and I knew the challenge.

“It’s very difficult here. The manager has spoken to me a few times and told me ‘remain patient, you always train very good, work hard, and you’ll get your opportunities in the future’, and now I’m living up to it and I’m more than happy.

“That's the aim [to send Guardiola a message] because there are so many quality players. That's the level. I try not to think about that and do my best every game and try and work hard for the team. But that’s the aim, every game. Try and get better and want more from myself.

“Obviously, with the likes of Kev out and Bernardo missing today, that’s probably why maybe I got trusted in there today, and like I said, I enjoy playing in there and hopefully, in the future, I can pick up more games there and show people what I can do.”

Foden is used to being utilised out wide in the Spaniard’s system but has his eye on a more central role, but he knows it’s a tough task to replace or keep Belgian playmaker De Bruyne out of the same spot.

“It’s a position that hopefully I can move into in the future, or maybe this season,” he admitted. “We'll have to see where the manager decides to play me.

“But we’ve got the best player in the world in there, Kevin De Bruyne, and when you’re playing in the best team in the world it’s hard to be trusted in there. Today I enjoyed it and I looked sharp.”

Foden’s team-mate Manuel Akanji is a big fan of watching Foden work his magic in the middle of the park, with the 23-year-old the subject of high praise from the Swiss defender.

“I think Phil is so good, especially in midfield,” Akanji told TNT Sports after the match. “He’s so good with his back towards the goal.

“The way he turns, he moves in between the spaces and that’s what we saw again today. Hopefully, he keeps on doing that this season.”

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