'Phil is back' - Guardiola hails Foden as City run riot

The inevitability was that, wearing the captain's armband, facing his former club when he is in such irresistible form, Erling Haaland would score.

- By RICHARD JOLLY

The surprise was that anyone would outscore him. Sadly for Borussia Dortmund, it was not them, individually or collectively.

A Phil Foden double with certain similarities meant that this is as close as Haaland has come to being upstaged by anyone else at Manchester City this season. Many a match has lent itself to the theory that they are over-reliant on their giant talisman for goals, but this was not one of them, not with Rayan Cherki also finding the net. “I am happy it is not just Erling scoring goals,” said coach Pep Guardiola.

In condemning Dortmund to defeat, Foden may have also sent a message to a former Dortmund manager. Thomas Tuchel names his England squad on Friday, and Foden was omitted from the last. “Thomas is so smart and wise and knows what the national team needs,” said Guardiola. “There is no person in this country and all around the world that doesn't know Phil's qualities.” Foden illustrated them by ending a seven-game goal drought in style. More pertinently for City, he steered them into the top four in the table. A year on from finishing 22nd and flirting with an ignominiously early exit, they are better positioned. “We are better than last season by far,” said Guardiola. Not one to be upstaged, Erling Haaland scored against his former side (PA)