'The worst I've seen us' - Phil Foden admits Manchester City were below best against RB Leipzig in UEFA Champions League

Phil Foden admitted that Manchester City’s first half performance against RB Leipzig was “the worst I’ve seen us".

City appeared to be well off the pace in the first half, and there were mistakes in defence as Lois Openda scored in the 13th and 33rd minutes to give the German team a 2-0 lead going into the tunnel at half-time.

However, the home side rallied after the interval, with Erling Haaland pulling one back, Foden equalising, and the substitute forward Julian Alvarez scoring a dramatic late winner to make it five wins from five group games.

Speaking to TNT Sports after the match, Foden acknowledged that City were far from their best, but he was pleased with the mentality that helped them to turn it around and take all three points.

He said: “It was a [game] of two sides. In the first half, it was the worst I’ve seen us, I think, but the courage that we have and the motivation that we have - we got it together at half-time. We came out and we played a lot better and changed the game.

“It’s important when things are not going right to change them, and the team’s great for that. The team’s got great mentality for that, and it’s so nice to see.

“We just needed that goal to get going, the fans were a lot louder after the first goal. Normally at the Etihad we’re flying and we only need one goal, so when the first one went in the motivation was there and we kept pushing and playing our football and it paid off.

“We’ve got a great record at the Etihad, and it only takes one goal to change things. It changed the full rhythm of the game.”

The England forward explained that manager Pep Guardiola was in part responsible for his goal after he carefully placed his effort.

“I’ve been rushing a few chances and smashing it. The manager is big on it: just stay calm in front of goal,” he added. “Sometimes you just have to take his advice, so I just passed it through the guy’s legs.”

Speaking after Foden, City coach Guardiola was not fazed by the early troubles of his side and pointed out the quality of the competition in general, and Leipzig in particular.

He said: “Champions League. Leipzig for the last five, six years have been qualifying for the last 16.”

The Spaniard then said what went wrong in the first 45 minutes: “So in a game like today we concede too much offensively. You have to win duels, you have to win the action, we didn’t do it, and after that we played with anxiety.

"After that, we conceded two goals, we relaxed and we reacted really well in the second half.

“The target, one game left, we are first in the group. Very satisfied with the reaction in the end, the team runs and fights.”

He said that some tactical changes had helped his side improve.

“We changed our press to be a little more effective,” he continued. “They did not play in the way we expected, to be honest. We adjusted something, we scored early which helped us a lot. We know we’re able to do it, to come back.

“We’ve won all the games. First we were qualified, now we are first.”

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