The Prince of Manchester City officially ascended the throne, and the former Golden Boy is now the midfield leader

Phil Foden is no longer the teenager who plays with talent and creativity on Sunday. He directed his teammates' positions, and he encouraged the troubled Haaland, who organized every attack on the team with goals and passes. At this moment, he looks like the new leader of the brand new Manchester City under Guardiola.

The fatigue and burnout of the 2023-24 season once made the English Golden Boy's shine for a while. And now, a new and more mature Foden is back. He is reproving to the world in a completely new way how great he is.

Rebirth from the Ashes

Haland was named the best in this game with his goal, but this is just the Norwegian man we are familiar with. And Fordon contributed something new. The smart and happy football that once belonged only to Lamacia's geniuses returned to his feet. This expression of freedom has been very rare in the past 18 months.

With De Bruyne's departure, 25-year-old Foden took on more responsibilities. He scored goals, created, defended, and more importantly, he started to lead. This sounds incredible. A player who has won 6 Premier Leagues and 1 Champions League, we are still discussing his maturity. But that's exactly what he is now the father of three, and on the court he's given a true core position by Guardiola. One of the eight-digit midfielders, Rodri is escorted behind him. The stage has been set up for him, and he has performed a perfect performance.

This transformation originated from a painful bottoming rebound. Last season, Foden played 72 games for Manchester City and England, with a total of 6,170 minutes, second only to Van Deck. He was exhausted physically and mentally, struggled in the 2024 European Cup, and negative comments from the outside world were overwhelmed. As he himself said: "When you become the best player of the season, the outside world will have higher expectations. The key is how to respond to criticism and regain your level." The problem of overwork by players is no longer a secret. The Premier League CEO, the Player Union and the club's medical team even held special meetings to discuss the schedule pressures of players such as Foden. The players even discussed the possibility of a strike in private. Soon after, Rodri, who was also tired, tore his anterior cruciate ligament. Foden's trough is almost inevitable. And now, his strong return is more like a rebirth in the ashes.

Fight for legend

In addition to the desire to respond to criticism, Foden's game also has a different motivation - fighting for Manchester's legendary boxing champion Ricky Hatton. This boxing hero, loved by Manchester City fans, unfortunately passed away on the morning of the game at the age of 46.

"We came to the game with extra motivation," Foden told Sky Sports. "This is for Hatton, for his family. The way we run... is for him." This heavy emotion undoubtedly turned into the infinite energy of Foden on the court. He turned around and he quietly inserted into the penalty area and received a cross from Duoku to score because B Fei failed to keep up with him. He used his sprint to press Manchester United goalkeeper, and he used his signature arc pass to tear the defense and assisted Haaland to secure the victory. The energy is back, and the omnipotent Furden is back.

Guardiola's new ace

As Bernardo Silva and Doku tear the space on the side, Foden gained the coveted freedom in the middle. In the future, we may see him struggling less and less on the wing, but more on the heart of the team. After the game, Guardiola hugged Foden tightly and slapped his head like a proud father. This is the most direct affirmation. The transformation of position and the maturity of mind allowed Foden to be completely released. A happy, relaxed, and entrusted with important tasks is the most terrifying Fuden. Manchester City is happy to see that their prince is not only back, but has evolved into a more powerful version.

Tuhull's puzzle

However, Foden's rebirth in the club may bring sweet troubles to the new coach of England. In Tuchel's usual 4-2-3-1 system, where is Foden's location?

In terms of wings, Tuchel prefers pure blasting wingers like Saka and Gordon. Foden has explosive power, but is not top-notch compared to them. In terms of the No. 10 position he is most suitable for, the England team is full of talents. Real Madrid superstar Bellingham is the first choice, behind him are Chelsea's Cole Palmer, and Eze, whom Tuchel admires. Even if they retreated to the eighth position, there were Rice and Gibbs White.

This forms an interesting paradox: Foden may be one of the most in-depth English players, but faces the most fierce competition in the position where the national team is best at. This tests Tuchel's wisdom. Should we adjust tactics around the players in the best form, or should we let the players adapt to a less comfortable system?

If Foden can continue his dominant performance against Manchester United, it is a foregone conclusion that he will go to the World Cup. Now, the most important thing for him is to stay stable at Manchester City. For the whole of England, how to use this ace well will be the key to whether they can go further in the World Cup.