Phil Foden Demonstrates Return To Best Form For Manchester City In Champions League Victory

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Pep Guardiola is confident that Phil Foden has regained his peak form following his impressive performance in Manchester City's victory over Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League. Foden scored twice, once in each half, while Erling Haaland and Rayan Cherki also found the net. City managed to maintain their lead after Waldemar Anton scored for Dortmund.

Foden's contribution was significant, as he has now scored 11 goals from outside the box for City across all competitions since the start of the 2023-24 season. This is more than any other Premier League player during this period. The match marked Foden's 64th appearance in the Champions League, where he achieved his first brace, bringing his total to 20 goals.

Guardiola expressed his delight with Foden's display, suggesting it might earn him a spot in Thomas Tuchel's England squad. "I would say he is already there [back to his best form]," Guardiola told TNT Sports. "He does not need to get closer. He is already there." Guardiola highlighted Foden's ability to score crucial goals and praised his effort and quality in the final third.

Manchester City have been dominant at home, winning 11 of their last 12 matches at Etihad Stadium across all competitions, including their last six consecutively by two or more goals. This streak marks their longest home winning run by such a margin since May 2023. In the Champions League, they have won 20 of their last 23 home group stage games without a loss.

The victory propelled City to fourth place in the Champions League table, just two points behind Bayern Munich, Arsenal, and Inter, who have maintained perfect records so far. Guardiola acknowledged Dortmund as a formidable opponent but noted City's improvement after a shaky start.

"In the first 15 minutes, we did not know where we were," Guardiola added. "After that, we had one or two long possessions and broke the lines." He praised City's ability to adapt and finish strong despite Dortmund's pressure after conceding a goal.

Guardiola commended his players' resilience and expressed optimism about their position in the competition. With upcoming matches against Bayer Leverkusen and others, City aims to secure a top-eight finish in the tournament.