Phil Foden was sent off in the Manchester derby and faces increasing pressure for his place at Manchester City
Foden was sent off on Sunday
Foden was sent off on Sunday
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In a game that has produced so many magical moments for Phil Foden, the boyhood Blue was forced to dash across the Old Trafford pitch with the jeers of 70,000+ Manchester United fans ringing in his ears.
Foden has a derby day hat-trick to his name. That was in October 2022 and Foden was celebrating a treble that season before a stunning campaign delivered City a fourth straight title in 2024 and landed Foden the Premier League player of the year award.
Those heights feel a long time ago now. Even though Foden had a better first half of last season than he is given credit for, he was still overlooked more often than not in Pep Guardiola's final season and didn't even make the England squad for this summer's World Cup. Thomas Tuchel was at Old Trafford on Sunday and you wouldn't be surprised if the 26-year-old is overlooked again by the Three Lions boss for this month's Nations League fixtures.
Foden will have hoped for new beginnings under Enzo Maresca, a manager he has a good relationship with and who has been almost universally praised across his coaching career for the rapport he builds with players.
He started the first two games of the season and produced two assists at Crystal Palace in a match that ended with him jubilantly dancing in front of the travelling support with a grin that will have pleased everyone connected with City.
The forward signed a new contract at the Etihad over the summer and spoke in pre-season of repaying the faith shown in him by the club and the supporters.
"[The new contract] just made me feel steady," he said. "It's made me feel relaxed now and just concentrate on being the best version of me and give back to the football club for them trusting in me. I have been here since I was four or five and never thought about leaving once - never crossed my mind.
"There are no changes I need to make. I just need to work on my own game and train hard and that's what I'm trying to do. You come through the academy, reach the top and then been the best player of the season, won the league that year as well. So it's obviously amazing. I have a good attitude about that.
"When you're on the top, don't get too comfortable and then I was trying to prove it again. Obviously it's not gone like that at the moment, but I have still got a lot of my career left. I am still young so I have still got a lot to prove to everyone."
With Jeremy Doku closing in on a return to full fitness and Iliman Ndiaye joining for £65million on deadline day there is increased pressure in the attacking areas at City. Enzo Fernandez is an option there too. Rayan Cherki's start to the season has been impressive and he's in possession of the No.10 shirt and role, the position Foden would love to play week in, week out and the position Maresca feels is the England international's best.
Foden has work to do, but he's a player who is consistently among the best performers in training and who has always worked hard to try and improve his game. He did one-to-one extra sessions with Maresca during the City manager's time on the coaching staff and his work ethic behind the scenes is unquestionable.
Both manager and player must now work together to ensure Foden can recapture his best.