It was his fourth goal. Raheem Sterling had threatened, Bernardo Silva had brought in his normal energy and Ilkay Gundogan had been convinced. But their young companion stole the show.
“It feels like the day Phil Foden has come of age and delivered on that promise he has shown in the last few years,” said Gary Neville Sky Sports. “Let’s come back and look at this day, I’m sure, because Phil Foden is one hell of a football player.”
Manchester City fans have long praised Foden as the unique talent of his generation but here someone from the other side of the city was left horrified by the impact it had on game change.
3:10
FREE: The highlights of Manchester City ‘s Liverpool win
In addition to finishing the scoring in City’s win explaining a 4-1 season over Liverpool, Foden provided support for the second with a complex run and a measured pass. When it was over, not only did the heroes leave at Anfield but they queued to praise the young controversy.
Jurgen Klopp described that fourth goal as a “genius situation” as Foden took the ball on his step before running at Andrew Robertson, moving, and thundering past Alisson in one move.
“I just think that guy is silky, confident. He sees the picture. He’s obviously got some distance,” said Graeme Souness. Sky Sports. “There is so much to rejoice about this young man.”
2:02
Phil Foden gave his own judgment on the significance of Man City ‘s win at Anfield
For City’s seasoned spectators, it may be strange to see a player with more than 100 appearances to his name for the club’s performance. Foden won the Premier League winners’ medal in 2019. He even lit the Wembley cup final in March last year.
There has already been so much magic, little landmarks, scraps to share with friends. This was not even his first Premier League goal against Liverpool. But it still felt different.
No Kevin De Bruyne no Sergio Aguero. Liverpool as a result of any hope must cling to their crown. But with the game in balance, it was Foden who took the lead.
Alisson’s mistake was not unexpected. He has saved Liverpool over and over again, as Klopp said. But in the ensuing playtime there was a sense of inevitability about Foden’s influence.
The run that was too much for Robertson and Jordan Henderson had come, the pass for finding Gundogan was normal.
It was Foden who took charge of the free kick with a familiar weight that only John Stones modified to see the leg flag go up. His real goal was just to reject them.
“It was magical for 15 minutes,” Neville said.
That’s what great players do and if that word – brilliant – feels too fast right now there is growing confidence that it won’t feel inappropriate when we look at it. back to a career to remember. This will definitely be just one of many great games that Foden will be coming to an end.
Also a word for Pep Guardiola as his treatment of Foden has been under scrutiny for much of his administration. The summaries have been somewhat limited at times, but nonetheless the era of demonstrations shows that to be impatient from a forbidden public point of view rather than a matter of central regulation.
The statistics show that no player under the age of 21 currently – of any nationality – has scored more goals in the Premier League. Enter all six of his supports and Foden has scored in more goals in the tournament than any other young player. At 20, he is still far ahead of schedule.
Foden has been open to European football, featuring 18 appearances in the Champions League, and has tested in a number of different careers while receiving his football education. The message from Guardiola after his man-of-match show was that education is far from over.
“He is so young,” he said Sky Sports.
“Sometimes he still doesn’t understand some careers, what you have to do. So in the first half he wasn’t in the right position he needs to be, that we work [on]. He gets some attention in those matters. Wide play is a little easier for him.
3:06
Pep Guardiola reflects on how his team won 4-1 against Liverpool
“Hopefully he can understand and improve because because in the first half he was not in the position we needed to be which is why we suffered in some minutes to gain control. But He will learn. After that, the action for the second and fourth goals, we know what a great talent he is. “
Everyone knows it. But Guardiola isn’t going to let him stop learning, not when he can be so good.
Foden’s ambition is to be seen anyway and while there may be some confidence in bringing in a 20-year-old Englishman with a trio of caps to his name on a list of City’s world-famous players, the evidence that speak for himself. It was his fourth goal. Phil Foden stole the show.