Phil Foden scored a brilliantly composed hattrick as Manchester City fought back to earn a 3-1 win at Brentford on Monday and close to within two points of Premier League leaders Liverpool with a game in hand.
Brentford, who did the double over City last season, went ahead after 21 minutes as a Mark Flekken goal kick flew over the flat-footed visiting defence, allowing Neal Maupay to race clear and tuck in his fifth goal in five games in all competitions.
Flekken was also excelling at his main job, making save after save as City peppered his goal, before Foden finally beat him in stoppage time from close range with their 17th attempt of the first half.
It was the ever-elusive Foden again who put the champions ahead after as Kevin de Bruyne clipped in a perfect cross for the unmarked midfielder to glance home in the 53rd minute and he completed his treble 20 minutes from time with another calm finish after a one-two with Erling Haaland.
Playing in a more central role for the team this season, coach Guardiola says of Foden: “This is the most influential he has been in the team.
“He has always had that threat in the box, he had that sense of an amateur player, like kids playing in the street. It’s how he moves in the small spaces and when he’s there now he can score or make an assist and that’s difficult to find.”
Foden says of his form which has seen him bag eight goals and seven assists so far in the league this season: “I’ve been getting goals and assists recently. I’ve been playing more centrally so I think that's why. It’s the most consistent I’ve been for a long time.
“I’m a person that adapts and plays a lot of positions when needed. I’m enjoying playing in the middle and that’s where I see myself. Hopefully I can get more game time playing there.
.@KevinDeBruyne 🤝 @PhilFoden
— Manchester City (@ManCity) February 6, 2024
Yesterday's @Sure Move of the Match 🙌 pic.twitter.com/0ztLlp9FDa
“I don’t score a lot of headers so I’m delighted with that one.
“All I set myself is to try to better last year’s stats and just try to improve every year - more goals and more assists. I need to keep going and showing this level of performance more often.”
That hat-trick feeling 💫 pic.twitter.com/fdOsKMbZoV
— Manchester City (@ManCity) February 6, 2024
dailyvoice@inl.co.za