A starring European performance against AEK Athens put Phil Foden’s considerable ability back in the spotlight. Named the match’s outstanding player, he delivered a reminder of the qualities that had become less visible during his recent difficulties.
The previous two campaigns had fallen short of expectations, something the midfielder himself has acknowledged. For anyone whose memory of his best football had faded, this Champions League display offered a persuasive response.
Foden’s fresh start gathers momentum
Missing England’s World Cup selection last summer added to that difficult period. Ahead of the new campaign, however, Foden told journalists he welcomed the opportunity to begin again with incoming coach Enzo Maresca.
That reset initially produced little momentum. September brought a particularly damaging setback when he was dismissed against Manchester United in the derby, but Saturday’s meeting with Ipswich finally brought a breakthrough in front of goal.
His effort that afternoon ended a 10-month wait to score in the Premier League. Three more followed on Tuesday: the 26-year-old completed an impressive treble as City overwhelmed Athens 5-1 at the Etihad Stadium, suggesting the weekend’s breakthrough had released him.
Goals bring enjoyment and renewed belief
Speaking to TNT Sports, Foden described how much pleasure the evening had given him. He praised another excellent collective effort and the determination of his colleagues, explaining that an attacking player must contribute goals and support the side. Finding the net, he added, strengthened his self-belief.
On whether his finest football was returning, his assessment was cautiously positive: progress was coming gradually, although considerable improvement remained possible. He felt he was moving towards his target and that scoring during that process was a definite benefit.
His intention, he explained, was to maintain his application and offer the highest level he could to both his coach and his team. The emphasis was on continuing that work rather than treating one successful evening as the end of his recovery.
A false nine option without Haaland
For City supporters, the sight of a happy Foden moving fluently through a match was especially satisfying. His contribution extended to four goals out of their five, ensuring the home crowd left with plenty to celebrate.
Maresca had gambled on extensive rotation after the Ipswich victory, replacing eight members of that starting XI. Only Gianluigi Donnarumma, Ruben Dias and Foden kept their places, making the scale of the changes particularly notable.
Although included among the available players, Erling Haaland did not feature after taking a knock on his foot in the preceding fixture. His absence allowed the coach to investigate an idea he had already raised: using Foden as a false nine to address that position.
Initially deployed on the right flank, Foden subsequently shifted into the central assignment. The adjustment proved productive, and his own verdict afterwards was that playing there had been particularly enjoyable.
A Champions League treble with historic company
The outcome was not entirely without concern. Early after the interval, Athens reduced the deficit to 2-1 and briefly unsettled the hosts. City responded by accelerating again, ultimately establishing a comfortable margin before the match ended.
With three finishes and an assist, Foden joined an exclusive group of English players in the Champions League. Only Wayne Rooney, representing Manchester United in 2004, and former City colleague Raheem Sterling, in 2019, had previously combined those achievements within a single match.
His opening and concluding strikes came near the goal, whereas the middle one showcased a different kind of precision. Positioned a little inside the penalty box, he adjusted his body and guided an immediate, first-touch shot high into the corner with remarkable control.
Lescott sees an answer at centre-forward
Offering his assessment on TNT Sports, former City defender Joleon Lescott chose beauty as the defining quality of Foden’s display. He was particularly impressed by the delicacy and accuracy of the finishing.
Lescott also felt the performance had made a convincing selection argument to the coach. Should Haaland be unavailable at any stage of the campaign, for whatever reason, he believed Foden had demonstrated that the central striking responsibility should fall to him.
From individual honours to a difficult scoring drought
There is a substantial benchmark for Foden’s attacking output. During City’s title-winning Premier League campaign of 2023-24, he contributed 19 goals and received both the Professional Footballers’ Association’s leading player award and the competition’s player-of-the-season honour.
His more recent record had been far less productive. He closed the previous campaign without finding the net across his final 31 appearances for his club and the national side, yet committed his future in July by agreeing to a contract covering another four years.
The dismissal at Old Trafford, following a kick aimed at Bruno Fernandes, threatened to add further complications. After this latest performance, the task is instead to carry the improvement forward and turn the evening into a foundation for sustained progress.
Maresca maintains his faith in Foden
For Maresca, satisfaction with the player had not begun with this hat-trick. He explained that he had already been pleased before the sending-off and had regarded Foden as belonging among England’s most accomplished footballers from his first day in charge.
The coach acknowledged that various issues had affected him over the preceding two years, without questioning his exceptional quality. His expectation remained that Foden would make an important contribution to the team.
That conviction, Maresca explained, underpinned the club’s eagerness to help the player reach his strongest condition. Getting the best version of him remained a clear priority.
Foden provides the response his manager needs
In radio analysis, former England wide player Ashley Young highlighted how decisively Foden had used the opportunities presented to him that evening. A three-goal haul, he felt, would give the player’s confidence an enormous lift.
Young also pointed to an advantage for Maresca: neither Haaland nor Jeremy Doku had needed to enter the action. Instead, the coach had been able to draw successfully on the other footballers available within his squad.
He rejected any suggestion that the line-up should be regarded as a reserve team, while stressing the obligation on those selected to demonstrate why they deserved regular involvement. In Young’s view, Foden’s performance supplied precisely the answers his manager was seeking.
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