“We need him desperately” – Pep Guardiola provides fresh Phil Foden concern on Champions League eve

Manchester City face a late battle to get star forward Phil Foden match-ready in time for their UEFA Champions League debut against Inter this week.

The England international has been absent for the most part of Manchester City’s opening five competitive fixtures this season, having briefly appeared during the matchday one win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge from the substitutes bench.

A long-standing illness meant Phil Foden would be kept aside from the Manchester City first-team before also withdrawing from Lee Carsley’s first England squad during the recent international break.

However, having returned to first-team training last week and having been named among Manchester City’s substitutes for the 2-1 home win over Brentford on Saturday afternoon, some were left somewhat surprised by the 24-year-old not making an appearance on the field.

Speaking after the latest victory in Premier League action, manager Pep Guardiola revealed that despite ‘feeling good’, Foden had not undertaken ‘too many training sessions’ ahead of a potential return to Manchester City match action.

“He feels good, but he didn’t train not too many training sessions. So it’s step by step,” Guardiola said. “But I’m… come on, I’m delighted that he’s back! I need him, we need him desperately.”

The Manchester City boss continued on Foden, “This player is so important for us, and it’s important that he started to train this week and three, four, or five training sessions. And the game was tight, and the game was in situations difficult, and I decided for other options.”

Phil Foden will no doubt be a crucial component of Pep Guardiola’s plans this season, and particularly in the coming weeks as Manchester City look to re-acclimatise to the hectic schedule of playing two matches per week.

It remains to be seen whether Foden will be deemed match ready for the visit of Inter Milan to the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night however, with only a handful of preparation sessions scheduled before the Champions League bow this season.

Arsenal will then make the trip north to the Etihad Stadium in the first head-to-head between the two sides this season on Sunday afternoon, before Watford are Manchester City’s opponents just 49 hours later in the Carabao Cup third round.