Manchester City secured a 3-0 victory over Crystal Palace, narrowing Arsenal's Premier League lead to two points. Erling Haaland scored twice, with Phil Foden adding another goal. Foden's strike came after Rayan Cherki's impressive run. This marked Foden's fourth consecutive Premier League match with a goal, totalling six goals. Despite this, both Foden and manager Pep Guardiola believe there's room for improvement in his performance.
Foden has now scored 12 Premier League goals from outside the box, matching Carlos Tevez. Only Kevin De Bruyne, Sergio Aguero, and Yaya Toure have more such goals for City. Across Europe's top leagues since 2023-24, only Kylian Mbappe has more long-range goals than Foden's eight. However, neither Foden nor Guardiola
felt he performed at his best in the match against Palace.
Guardiola commented on Foden's game: "Today he didn’t play good, he lost a lot of balls. He was rushing with every action, he needed to play more calmly and keep the ball and in the right moments, change the gear. " Despite this critique, Guardiola acknowledged Foden's overall contribution to the team.
Foden reflected on the match: "Every time I have been here it has been such a challenge," he told BBC Match of the Day. The game involved many duels and was scrappy at times. He noted that the second half was significantly better than the first, which proved crucial for their win.
In terms of statistics, Foden did not create any chances for teammates during the game but managed to hit the target with two out of three shots. These shots had an expected goals (xG) value of just 0.13. Despite these numbers, his goal was pivotal in easing City's path to victory.
Guardiola’s Insights on Team Performance
Guardiola praised his team's efforts despite acknowledging areas needing improvement: "It is a really, really tough place to come," he said about Selhurst Park. He highlighted how well Crystal Palace attacks through players like Yeremy Pino and Ismaila Sarr but expressed confidence in City's current position and potential for growth.
Foden admitted he made mistakes in the first half by giving away possession too often while trying too hard to make an impact. He emphasised that against teams like Palace, it's essential to stay calm and focus on making extra passes rather than forcing plays.
The victory against Crystal Palace demonstrated Manchester City's resilience and determination as they continue their pursuit of Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table. With key players like Phil Foden showing promise yet acknowledging room for growth, City remains optimistic about their prospects this season.
