Phil Foden, initially slated for the bench against Crystal Palace, is experiencing a busy schedule, but Pep Guardiola believes the midfielder’s playing time is being managed effectively.
The English player has played a pivotal role in Manchester City’s pursuit of a fourth consecutive Premier League title.
With 30 appearances this season, he has contributed 14 goals and 7 assists, including a hat-trick against Aston Villa earlier in the week.
Currently trailing leaders Liverpool by three points and second-place Arsenal by one, City sees the early kickoff at Selhurst Park as an opportunity to gain ground on both rivals. However, Foden’s impact is expected to come from the bench.
Ahead of kickoff, Guardiola spoke with TNT Sports, acknowledging the difficulty of benching Foden but stressing the necessity of making tough decisions to manage the squad’s workload amidst a packed fixture list.
Guardiola referenced Foden’s recent 96-minute performance against Arsenal and his involvement in national team friendlies as factors influencing the decision.
In Foden’s absence, Kevin de Bruyne will take his place, having had a similar rest period midweek. Guardiola hinted at the possibility of Foden and De Bruyne featuring together in the starting lineup in the future but cited upcoming travel commitments as a factor in his decision-making process.
Despite his desire to see Foden on the field, Guardiola emphasized the need to balance player rotation and workload, considering the number of games in hand.
Additionally, Erling Haaland, John Stones, and Oscar Bobb have returned to the starting lineup for City in place of Jeremy Doku, Bernardo Silva, and Manuel Akanji for the match against Palace.
