Manchester City expert Steven McInerney from Esteemed Kompany still believes that Phil Foden has "another level to go" after starring once against for Pep Guardiola's side in last weekend's emphatic 6-0 win at Ipswich Town in the Premier League.
Foden enjoyed arguably his best season yet in a Citizens shirt in 2023-24 and was rewarded with the PFA, FWA and Premier League Player of the Year accolades after scoring 27 goals and registering 12 assists in 53 appearances.
The 24-year-old was unable to replicate his club form on the international stage with England at Euro 2024 last summer, though, and he then endured a disrupted start to the current campaign, compounded by illness, with the Man City attacker failing to score in any of his first 10 Premier League games.
However, Foden is now enjoying a purple match for the Sky Blues and has found the net six times in his last six top-flight appearances, scoring two goals in both of City's last two matches against Brentford (2-2) and Ipswich.
McInerney believes that Foden has benefitted from Kevin De Bruyne's return to the Citizens side in a prominent central role, and there is still room for the Englishman to grow as Guardiola's men endeavour to build on a six-game unbeaten run in all competitions.
Speaking to Sports Mole, McInerney said: "I think there's another level to go for Phil actually. The most important thing is he looks hungry, his movements are there again and I think, even though he likes playing as a 10, I think a stint out on the right and letting Kevin De Bruyne do his thing (centrally) is helping him a little bit.
"If Man City are at their very best, Foden is usually a part of that"
"The focus isn't entirely on him, because Kevin De Bruyne is back and he's a genius, amazing, so he's taking the responsibility on his shoulders as he always does - a wonderful player.
"I think Foden is actually having a little bit of time out wide. He's got familiarity with that role even if it isn't his preferred role, but it's allowing him to drift around a little bit, make those runs as De Bruyne links up with [Jeremy] Doku on the left.
"I thought he was good (against Ipswich), he looked confident. I mean there is another level to go, I think maybe his dribbling isn't quite there yet, he doesn't look fully electric, but that'll just come with confidence.
"I think Guardiola said afterwards that Phil Foden is too talented not to do well if his head's in the right place, if he's enjoying his football, and that's true.
"There were a couple of nice moments where he played really nice cross-field passes, nice diagonals, his movement was good, he got his celebration out again which is a good sign that his head's in the right place. He just looked sharp, his touch was good, didn't give the ball away, his movement was excellent, really nice finishes.
"He's got a very good sense of goal Phil Foden. He's got good movement, you can tell that false nine stint he did a few years back really helped his development that way, because they were striker's finishes."
McInerney added: "If Man City are at their very best, Phil Foden is usually a part of that and I don't think we can really achieve what we want to without Phil Foden contributing the way that he does."
Press play on the video at the top of this article to hear the full discussion following Man City's 6-0 win at Ipswich.
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