Guardiola insists Phil Foden 'will be back' as he explains struggles

Pep Guardiola defended Phil Foden, saying the Manchester City playmaker will rediscover his world-class form. Foden returned to the starting XI for the midweek 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest at the Etihad after an injury to Nico O’Reilly but struggled to make his usual impact and appears to be going through a notable dip in confidence.

Once a regular starter and the 2023-24 Premier League Player of the Season, the 25-year-old has seen his output drop since December and has often been used from the bench. The arrival of Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth plus summer additions Rayan Cherki and Tijjani Reijnders has added competition, leaving Foden fighting for minutes as City try to keep pace with Arsenal in the title race.

Speaking before City’s FA Cup fifth-round tie at St. James’ Park with Newcastle United, Guardiola urged Foden to free his mind and enjoy the game, saying a return will be gradual rather than instant. "I had the feeling he played really good [against Forest].

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