'Phil's responded to love and affection'

PEP Guardiola said Phil Foden has responded to the love and affection shown to him by his Manchester City teammates after a week in which he showed signs of getting back to his best.

- By TYRONE MARSHALL

Foden scored his first Premier League goal in eight months against Manchester United at the weekend and then backed it up with a superb assist for Erling Haaland's 50th Champions League goal in the win against Napoli at the Etihad.

The academy graduate endured a difficult 2024/25, when injuries hampered his form and off-field issues became a distraction, but he looks to have rediscovered the spark in his game at a crucial time for City.

Foden has produced two of his best performances of the calendar year this week and his dynamism and threat in the final third are proving to be game-changing for a City side that desperately needed what the 25-year-old can deliver.