Phil Foden is determined to rediscover his peak form and fight his way back into contention for Manchester City following a period of reduced playing time.
The England midfielder has found opportunities limited in 2026, failing to complete a full 90 minutes in any competition since City’s 1-1 draw with Chelsea in the Premier League on 4 January.
The 25-year-old has started just eight of City’s last 20 fixtures, largely being deployed from the bench by Pep Guardiola. His most recent appearance as a substitute came in the final moments of Sunday’s Carabao Cup victory over Arsenal.
This contrasts sharply with his earlier season form, which saw him net eight goals in nine games across November and December.
Acknowledging the challenges, Foden stated: "Football sometimes is not straightforward. There are ups and downs and sometimes you can’t be the best version of yourself and that’s the way it is."
He added: "It’s just about how you pick yourself back up. I’m still keeping my head down, trying to train as well as I can every day and hopefully I come back after the internationals a lot sharper and hopefully I can get more minutes and be back to where I was at the start of the season."
Foden has been included in the England squad for upcoming friendlies against Uruguay and Japan, with aspirations of securing a place in Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup squad this summer.
He expressed his delight at the call-up, saying: "Every time you get selected for your country, it’s the biggest thing you can feel as a football player.
“I’m really delighted to get selected and just can’t wait now to go there with the lads and meet up for training."
Foden will be looking to add to his tally of four goals in 47 caps for England over the coming days.
