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Phil Foden is showing signs of being back to his best

For only the fourth time this season, Erling Haaland failed to score in a Premier League match on Saturday. The Norwegian was uncharacteristically subdued as Leeds United visited the Etihad Stadium, registering just one shot on target. For Manchester City’s sake, it was just as well Phil Foden stepped up.

Foden has been doing more of that this season. While the 2024/25 campaign was a disappointment, the 25-year-old has shown signs of his best form recently with his performance in the 3-2 win over Leeds possibly his best of the season so far. Foden finally looks like his old self again.

Manchester City are in a transitional phase. They have spent the best part of £400m over the last two transfer windows bringing in the likes of Omar Marmoush, Rayan Cherki, Tijani Reijnders, Rayan Ait-Nouri and a few others. City needed a rebuild and that process is still ongoing.

The back-to-back defeats to Newcastle United and Bayer Leverkusen made clear that Manchester City are still some way off being able to compete on multiple fronts for trophies. Pep Guardiola simply doesn’t have the depth of some of his rivals at the top end of the Premier League. City still need further reinforcements.

In Foden, though, Guardiola has a player to build around. The 25-year-old is arguably the most technically gifted English player of his generation and that has been clear for a number of years. Foden is the greatest player to ever come through the Manchester City youth system. He is proof of their process as a club.

However, City’s transition over the last year or so could have seen Foden squeezed out. Instead Guardiola has harnessed the Englishman as a number 10 in behind Haaland, which is where national team manager Thomas Tuchel has publicly stated he sees Foden’s future for club and country.

“I agree with Thomas,” said Guardiola. “I like to play Phil behind the striker close to the ball because a guy with this sense of goal has to be close to the goal. Sometimes he can be wide with other players more inside but I like Phil in the central positions. We lack a bit of the sense of goal, it’s hard to bring players close to Erling. I like players like him who arrive and have the feeling they can score. The big teams score with many, many players. If it’s just Erling that scores the goals we will struggle.”

City need more than just Haaland to provide firepower in the final third of the pitch and this is where Foden has proved he is good enough to contribute. The 25-year-old has six goals in all competitions this season and has also registered three assists for good measure. Foden is posting some impressive numbers.

Jeremy Doku also looks to have taken a step forward this season. The Belgian is making better decisions in the attacking third and is now providing a more consistent final product in and around the opposition penalty box. Foden, however, is still a more accomplished player. He is, in many ways, the embodiment of Guardiola’s Manchester City.

This season will probably be too early for City to truly challenge for the Premier League title. Arsenal are setting the pace at the top of the table and it is increasingly unlikely that they will be caught. Manchester City currently seem to lack the consistency to mount a sustained challenge.

Defensively, Guardiola still needs extra assurance while his midfield is lacking the dynamism that was there when Kevin De Bruyne was at the club. On their current trajectory, though, City will be back in title contention soon enough and Foden being back to his best will only accelerate that process further.