Phil Foden set to replace two Manchester City superstars in the future, reveals Pep Guardiola

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has revealed that Phil Foden will replace two of the current first-team squad’s midfield superstars in future.

City’s star Academy graduate further staked his claim at being the stand-out English talent in the Premier League with an outstanding hat-trick against Brentford to secure a dramatic 1-3 comeback win over Thomas Frank’s side.

Operating largely in an attacking midfield role alongside Kevin De Bruyne, whilst also drifting into wider positions at times and breaking lines with his sharp runs, Foden was a menace all night for a Brentford back-line that simply could not stop his contributions.

On a night when Foden moved to within just two goal contributions of Erling Haaland at the top of the Manchester City charts in that particular category, the club’s head coach has made a staggering claim about what the future could hold for the Stockport-born superstar.

Speaking to the media after the 1-3 win at the Gtech Community Stadium in West London, Pep Guardiola admitted that such are Phil Foden’s variety of talents in multiple roles that he will replace two of the current squad’s integral members in the coming years.

“He will take over from Kevin (De Bruyne) and Bernardo (Silva) in the future – that is going to happen,” Guardiola said. “It’s a question of process. Every season the experience he gets, he will have to lead for the other ones.”

The City boss continued, “Still, he is being led but there will be a moment. I have to say something that since day one playing on the field, he feels mature and feels ‘I don’t care, I have enough experience and I don’t feel the pressure’.

“A player from the Academy with this level and consistency for many years. I don’t know how many trophies all the ones we won, 15 or 16 at that age. As much as he is focused on that he will have a successful and long career, but it depends on him.

“How much he wants to be focused on his job and every detail in his life he can do whatever he wants.”

Manchester City will arrive back in the north-west in the early hours of Tuesday morning after making the 40-minute flight from Luton, with attentions very quickly turning to the weekend’s meeting against Sean Dyche’s Everton.

Victory over Brentford moved Manchester City to within just two points of current league leaders Liverpool, although Guardiola’s squad have a game in hand coming up in a few weeks time, once again against Thomas Frank’s Brentford.