November 5, 2025<\/a><\/p>\nCity\u2019s star academy graduate struggled for much of last season, opening up about off-field issues and injuries that affected him, but the signs are that the 25-year-old is back to his best, having been the stand-out player in City\u2019s Premier League winning 2023\/24 campaign.<\/p>\n
\u201cPhil is back,\u201d Guardiola said. \u201cHow many times have we seen Phil score these type of goals? We miss this a lot last season but this season I think he is going to help us a lot.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe is confident to score these goals, not shooting strong but just to put the ball close to the post. It\u2019s like a pass to the net. Phil is fantastic at that\u2026<\/p>\n
\u201cThis season he is back. Not just Phil, all of us we struggled (last season). When Phil is in that level playing between the lines, in the pockets and his first touch, his turn and then after his generosity to run and fight is top class.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen Phil is happy with love and joy, you don\u2019t have to say much. He\u2019s a special player but we need his goals and hopefully today was the first step to do it. It\u2019s important to have him for the big, big match on Sunday (against Liverpool).\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"Phil](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/2.82300129.jpg\")
Phil Foden is back in form for City (Nick Potts\/PA)<\/p>\n
The question is whether or not Thomas Tuchel has seen enough to bring Foden back into the England squad, having left him out of the last two camps. He announces his next squad on Friday.<\/p>\n
\u201cThomas is so smart and wise and knows exactly what he needs,\u201d Guardiola added. \u201cI think Thomas knows perfectly Phil and Phil is playing better and better\u2026England is lucky to have many players in this position and that\u2019s what he had to push and be better and say, \u2018I\u2019m going to show how good I am\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n
City\u2019s win put them fourth in the Champions League standings with 10 points from four games, with an almost three-week wait until their next game at home to Bayer Leverkusen on November 25. Instead attention turns to Sunday\u2019s visit of Premier League champions Liverpool.<\/p>\n
Guardiola said he spent his Tuesday evening watching Arne Slot\u2019s side beat Real Madrid 1-0, and insisted he is well aware of the challenge despite their recent wobble.<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course it surprised me a lot that they lost a lot of games but sometimes it\u2019s about momentum,\u201d Guardiola said. \u201cAll the clubs are there except Arsenal who are more consistent than anyone.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut the season is long so we try to be there and see what happens. To be honest I\u2019m so excited and happy to prepare for Sunday. I\u2019m desperate to play against Liverpool and we\u2019ll see what happens.\u201d<\/p>\n