Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola reportedly aimed an expletive-laden outburst at Phil Foden after the young England ace conceded a penalty. Foden’s form this season has somewhat dwindled, netting a mere three times in 16 matches.
Meanwhile, Man City themselves are grappling with an unusual spell of poor performances, failing to secure a victory in their last six fixtures. The club’s current woes are a stark contrast to their previous campaign when they clinched an unprecedented fourth consecutive Premier League crown. Foden was instrumental in this achievement, earning the accolade of Player of the Year for his efforts.
However, a moment that won’t bring back fond memories for Foden occurred last December, one that found him on the receiving end of Guardiola’s ire. The incident took place during a tense match against Crystal Palace, which ended in a 2-2 deadlock at Etihad Stadium.
Despite leading until the final minutes courtesy of Jack Grealish and Rico Lewis goals, disaster struck in the 95th minute. Foden’s misjudged interaction with Jean-Philippe Mateta in the penalty area led to referee Paul Tierney awarding a spot-kick, which Michael Olise converted, robbing City of two points.
Guardiola did not mince his words post-match, as revealed in the revealing docu-series Together: 4-In-A-Row. “Phil, in the f—— 18-yard box, you don’t touch the opponent,” he thundered at Foden. “It’s unacceptable, Phil Foden, unacceptable! “.
Foden has opened up about the tough love he received from Guardiola, recalling a particular incident that stood out for him. Speaking to The Times, Foden said: “I knew you were going to say that,” when asked about a specific dressing-down.
“Yeah, the highlight of my season. That’s a side he has in him, he lets you know when he’s disappointed, and I don’t mind it. I like honesty. Obviously, I gave a penalty away late on against Palace but I put it into my mind after that game that I’m going to make it up to my team, because I felt guilty as anything. I put it into my head to make it up to my team and I think I did that in the season.”
Guardiola’s frustration was evident not just in private but also in his public comments following the match. In his post-match press conference, he didn’t mince words: “It’s not bad luck, it’s deserved. We give away two points. When you give away this penalty, you deserve it.”
He continued to critique the team’s performance, emphasizing the need for caution in critical areas of the pitch: “In the end, be patient, don’t concede transitions and that’s not what we have done in seven, eight years in these types of games. In the last minute we give them a penalty. In the 18-yard box we have to be careful, and we were not careful.”
