Man City's Pep Guardiola: Phil Foden 'deserves to play' after Premier League win over Brighton
/dnl.eurosport.com/sd/img/placeholder/eurosport_logo_1x1.png){kind=logo}
Updated 14/01/2021 at 11:29 GMT
Manchester City head coach Pep Guardiola says Phil Foden’s “standards are higher” and that he “deserves to play”, after the England midfielder scored for the second match running in a 1-0 win over Premier League strugglers Brighton & Hove Albion. But the City boss has questioned whether it’s feasible for players to follow coronavirus guidelines on contact after celebrating a goal.
Phil Foden scored the winner for Manchester City in a 1-0 victory over Brighton
Image credit: Getty Images
Pep Guardiola praised “another good performance” from Manchester City’s Phil Foden, after the England midfielder scored the winner in a 1-0 Premier League victory over Brighton & Hove Albion.
Having gone through a prolonged period with few starts, Foden’s now been picked in the first XI for four successive matches in all competitions and scored a fine goal from the edge of the penalty box to move his team up to third in the table.
"It was another good performance. He is a guy with a special instinct close to goal, not just with the left foot, but with the right foot. He deserves to play. His standards are higher,” said Guardiola.
I try to judge the performance day by day and I have the feeling he lives his life 24 hours to play football. Today with a lot of distractions around our lives - clearly less now because we have to be at home - but when you see his face he is happy at training sessions and playing games.
"When that happens the rest is what everyone sees in his performance."
Guardiola once again questioned whether it’s possible for players to stick to strict Premier League coronavirus protocols, which includes a ban on hugging and close contact, after most of City’s team celebrated their only goal in a huddle.
"We are going to do it, we are going to follow, we are going to respect the protocols. It is not just for us, it is for the rest of society,” said the City head coach.
But the moment you score a goal and one guy runs and the others don't go to celebrate with him, it is weird and uncomfortable. We will follow what the Premier League says but I don't know if we will be able to do it.
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2021/01/13/2970698-60969893-2560-1440.jpg)
Guardiola admits Covid-19 protocols 'difficult' and praises Foden
Brighton boss Graham Potter has a similar point of view on the coronavirus rules, and thinks it will be difficult to change player behaviour.
"It is a challenge but we want to adhere as closely as we can because we understand the seriousness of it. We will do our best," said the Albion head coach.
"Unfortunately sometimes the brain is a sub-conscious one and you are just there in the moment, you are not thinking, it is an instinctive reaction."
Scan me
Share this article
Advertisement
Advertisement