The 19-year-old has been tipped to achieve great things, but has still only managed 10 minutes of game time with Man City this term
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has challenged teenage star Phil Foden to be more assertive and less deferential as he searches for more minutes.
Foden, 19, is considered one of England’s top up-and-coming talents, having made his senior debut for Man City in 2017 at the age of 17.
However, Foden has found consistent minutes hard to come by on a star-studded Man City side that won a domestic treble last season.
Foden made 13 Premier League appearances in 2018-19, managing just three starts.
This season hasn’t seen Foden kick on just yet, with the England youth international playing just 10 total minutes in City’s first three Premier League matches.
Guardiola believes that it’s time for Foden to start acting more like an established member of City’s first-team setup.
“He is a shy guy,” Guardiola said. “I would like him to talk more to me, but all the time I go to him and speak to him, so he still looks at me like a little bit [too much] with respect like a manager.
“And, after two or three seasons, it’s not necessary. But it’s normal, he is 19. Now he goes to play for the Under-21s and he is going to play and he is nice. He is OK, everything is in the right position.”
The Spaniard insisted that Foden will get more minutes for City this season, though that playing time could be reserved mostly for domestic cup competitions.
“I will decide when he plays. I don’t know when, but that’s going to happen because now we play an incredible amount of games,” Guardiola said.
“Of course, I have said many times I love this guy. I like him a lot, but it’s Man City and he’s playing alongside Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan, Bernardo Silva, David Silva, it’s not easy for all of them,” the manager continued.
“Last game Rodri didn’t play, David Silva didn’t play the previous game. That is the reality in a team that achieved four titles [trophies] last season. If you don’t have this squad, you can’t achieve four titles – impossible.”
After gaining seven points out of a possible nine to begin the Premier League season, City take on Brighton at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.
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