Manchester City have hit some extraordinary heights under Pep Guardiola's tutelage. The Spanish coach will go down as one of the greatest managers in the history of the game, and his Citizen side have written themselves into the English and European history books.
Last season, City fell off a proverbial cliff, their four-in-a-row domination of the Premier League coming to an end. They rallied, but it was a campaign to forget about, and many felt that it marked the end of Pep's illustrious tenure.
Pep Guardiola
But he's not done yet, rebounding emphatically after signing a two-year contract extension last November. And Guardiola isn't the only one who is resurgent at the Etihad, with this optimistic new season coinciding with the tentative resurgence of Phil Foden.
Why Foden is improving for Man City
There's no denying it: Foden fell by the wayside last season. But he's picked himself back up. The Three Lions superstar still has gears to shift through before he recalls his finest form, but this is an essential comeback, should City hope to reclaim their Premier League title and ensure the peerless Erling Haaland has a strong complementary force in the final third.
He hasn't found prolific form yet this season, but the 25-year-old is undoubtedly producing more polished and cultured results, having been placed deeper to influence and dictate play.
He has been more convincing in the duel and is seeing more of the ball on average. There is also a clear tactical maturity, Pep's teachings seeping into Foden's brain. He might not be the headline stealer at this stage, but Foden is unquestionably operating at a higher level, and City's wider system are feeling the benefits.
Phil Foden's Premier League Improvements
Stats (*per game)
Matches (starts)
Goals
Assists
Touches*
Accurate passes*
Chances created*
Dribbles*
Ball recoveries*
Tackles + interceptions*
Duels (won)*
Data via Sofascore
Foden is one of the best in the Premier League, and he is on his way to reminding everyone of that fact. However, he's not the only member of City's squad doing such a thing right now, with his younger countryman emerging as the latest starboy fashioned under Guardiola's wing.
Man City's homegrown talent is now one of PL's best
Manchester City's academy is a thing to behold. Truly, the dominant Premier League force have welcomed some of the country's most exciting talents to the scene, and the likes of Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers are among those plying their trade elsewhere, such is the bloated nature of the club's youth scene.
But City learn from their mistakes, and when Chelsea came calling for Nico O'Reilly in January, they were flat-out rebuffed in their advances, despite The Athletic's David Ornstein confirming the interest was very much genuine.
O'Reilly
This time last year, the 20-year-old was on the fringes of Guardiola's outfit. Now, he is emerging as the first-choice left-back for club and country.
He impressed for the Three Lions after making his debut last week, playing 90 minutes against Serbia and then Albania, keeping clean sheets on both counts. As per Sofascore, he lost only one duel across those two clashes, recovering eight balls and completing 92% and 93% of his passes.
Already, he has nailed down a prominent position in City's first team. Naturally a centre-midfielder, the boss has repeated hisown spectacular trick and redefined his technically sound up-and-comer into a dynamic, inverted full-back. O'Reilly has started seven of the last eight Premier League matches, defending resiliently and getting forward and arcing inward to create overloads and help service Haaland.
Continuing to look at it from a wider scope, the 6 foot 4 star ranks among the top 16% of positional peers in the Premier League this season for passes attempted, the top 9% for progressive carries and touches in the attacking box, and the top 6% for tackles per 90, as per FBref.
A carry is considered progressive if the ball is moved towards the opponent's goal at least 10 yards from its starting point or is carried into the penalty area.
He's only going to get better, and given the high regard he is held in by Guardiola and for the Three Lions under Thomas Tuchel, there's little question that City have found their latest superstar in the making.
Manchester City youngster Nico O'Reilly
It is important, typically, not to overburden up-and-coming prospects. But O'Reilly is different, so cultured and convincing across the various phases of play.
One Man City content creator was left speechless after the club's recent win over Liverpool, hailing O'Reilly as "our best academy graduate since Phil Foden".
That might just be the case. Even Roy Keane agrees. The Manchester United legend remarked that the versatile defender "could surprise everybody" by securing a starting berth at the 2026 World Cup next year. Clearly, this is a player becoming one of the best in the Premier League, if not the world.
Haaland Foden Cherki Related
[Perfect for Haaland: Man City can sign Foden 2.0 in "Ballon d'Or level" star](https://www.footballfancast.com/perfect-for-haaland-man-city-can-sign-new-foden-in-arda-guler/ "Perfect for Haaland: Man City can sign Foden 2.0 in "Ballon d'Or level" star")
Another Phil Foden-esque talent could elevate Man City's final third quality even more