Manager Gareth Southgate believes Phil Foden encounters a unique challenge when playing for England compared to his club team, Manchester City. Coach Pep Guardiola praises the 23-year-old as the top player in the Premier League currently. While Foden has excelled in City’s quest for another Premier League championship, he has not had the same level of success on the international level. He participated in the entire 90 minutes of England’s 1-0 loss to Brazil at Wembley Stadium on Saturday evening. This was his fourth consecutive start for the national team, but he has now gone five games without scoring a goal or providing an assist. Man City fans are angry over the chaotic title race involving Liverpool and Arsenal, calling it “pathetic.” Southgate praised Foden’s performance against Brazil, noting that they displayed the same quality seen at City during certain moments. “We have multiple players who are not available, so some of the pairings and interactions on the field have changed. I noticed that he and Jude Bellingham worked effectively together in the first half.” However, he is facing a strong opponent. His club doesn’t always control a third of the possession, as they sometimes do. It was a unique challenge, but I was content with Phil’s performance.
