Enzo Maresca had predicted Phil Foden would score, and he did score. For much of Foden’s career that would scarcely have seemed an outlandish prediction. Not now. Foden’s had struck 27 times for Manchester City alone in 2023-24. Yet when Ipswich arrived at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, his drought spanned 35 games for City, plus two for England that may have cost him a place at the World Cup.
But there are two Fodens. Maresca remembered the teenage prodigy, the player who had won the individual awards, the seeming generational talent before he became the goal-shy City substitute. “With Phil I said many times, I know him from years ago, for me he’s one of the best Premier League players,” said the City manager, who had worked with Foden in his previous times at the Etihad Stadium. “And since day one it’s my duty to help him to again be one of the best players.”
