Phil Foden has given his opinion on the England vs Manchester City debate
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Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville have clashed over whether Phil Foden should be in the England side
Phil Foden believes there is more pressure in an England shirt than a Manchester City one, as Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher clashed in a furious row over the star's international future.
Foden was left out of Thomas Tuchel's side for Monday's win over Albania having started the German's first match in charge a few days earlier. After that win over Latvia, Tuchel spoke about the improvements he wanted from Foden and fellow wide player Marcus Rashford. But while the latter retained his starting spot, the City ace was dropped to the bench.
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Foden was the standout Premier League player last season as City won the title but has struggled for form and fitness this term. The 24-year-old has now given an interview to GQ Magazine, conducted before the March internationals, where he opened up on the differences between playing for club and country, on the same day an episode of the Stick to Football podcast, sponsored by Sky Bet dropped with Neville and Carragher arguing about whether Foden merits a place in the England side.
"For both, everyone's watching and rooting for you to do well, but [there are always] people who are going to judge you no matter what," said the player himself.
"I feel like there's a lot more pressure in an England shirt to deliver. You've got a different manager, a different way of playing, playing with players you don't play with on a regular basis, so there's a lot of things when you go to the national team that are different to the club.
"But I don't approach them differently. I try to work out the players as much as I can – where they're going to run, what movement they're going to do."
Foden found perhaps a surprising ally in former Manchester United man Neville, who believes England should build a team around the City man while Carragher does not feel the forward gets into the Three Lions team. Here's every word from the pundits from a heated five minute argument.
Carragher: "Where do you play him?"
Neville: "Only English people ask that about these players."
Carragher: "What are you talking about , where would you play him?"
Neville: "Oh my god."
Carragher: "Stop saying oh my God, where would you play him? He has played every position for England and he hasn't done it. We all love him and he is amazing for Man City but he hasn't done it for England.
"He was in the team before Saka and Bellingham, those two grabbed their chance and took it. There is no way they are getting left out. So tell me where he is playing, you have been on the coaching staff, tell me."
Neville: “So, what happens with players like Phil Foden is that they’re more flexible and more versatile. Jude Bellingham has to play where he plays – and because he is flexible, you can put him anywhere. You can play him number 10, then left winger and then right winger – you move around.
"If you play with three in midfield, you could play Foden and Bellingham, against Latvia and Albania why couldn't you play them both in there? It is 4-3-3, it is not a system that is wild. It is two players in front of Declan Rice. Why can't Foden and Bellingham play there, Silva and De Bruyne did it for years at City with Fernandinho behind them and no-one said this is a s*** system and we are open."
Carragher: "So would you play him there in a big game in a tournament?"
Neville: "Oh my god. You just asked me where I would play him and I've told you.
“It’s the age-old thing with England – some players have to be in form to play and other players will get played irrespective of the club form. Ultimately, someone like Harry Kane, it doesn’t matter whether he hasn’t scored in his last five games for his club – he is going to be playing for England.
"Alan Shearer didn’t score all the way up until the Euros, Les [Ferdinand] was never going to play, and Robbie Fowler was never going to play. It’s always going to be Shearer. Foden should be that player for me.”
Carragher: "What are you talking about, you are talking absolute rubbish. So he is going to play as a number eight, a position he doesn't even play for Man City.
"You say we keep moving him round, City keep moving him round. He is lucky he gets moved around. In the summer, Gareth Southgate looked at Foden as the best player in the Premier League and said 'I have to find a place for him.'
"But he has not done more than Saka in an England shirt to play and he has not done more than Bellingham in an England shirt to play.
Neville: "The context of Foden in the summer was that he was playing on left and was told to play wide, he had no left back. They were playing Trippier at left back who kept coming inside and he (Foden) didn't get any service.
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"With City you have some of the best players in the world, City are a lot better than England. For him to get City into that team is a feat in itself. For me I see him on a level with Bellingham, that is where I see him."
Carragher: “When I see Foden play, he just seems like a shy lad, which is fine. I don’t think he has got that arrogance for England the same way Bellingham does. That holds him back a little bit. He has been tried in every position, but he just hasn’t performed.”