From Hat trick to the bench – Manchester City Coach Pep Guardiola explains the reason why Phil Foden was benched against Crystal Palace and the Bet paid off
It was stated that Phil Foden will start on the bench against Crystal Palace, but Pep Guardiola says that the midfielder’s minutes are just being managed because of how busy the end of the season is going to be.
The English player has been very important to City’s quest for a fourth straight Premier League title.
This season, he has played 30 times and scored 14 goals and set up seven others. He scored a hat-trick against Aston Villa last week, and his team is now three points behind leaders Liverpool and one point behind second-placed Arsenal.
The early start on Saturday at Selhurst Park gives City the chance to get ahead of both of their rivals and put more pressure on them before their games, but Foden needs to be on the bench if he wants to make an effect.
Guardiola told TNT Sports before the game, “It was hard to leave him out, but not just him. It’s hard to be a boss when you don’t let players play.” “Every choice I make is hard.” We have a lot of games, though.
“Look at the 96-minute game Phil played against Arsenal and the training games he played with the national team. He couldn’t move.” That’s why we chose that: there are a lot of games.”
Kevin de Bruyne will play in place of Foden against Oliver Glasner’s team. Like Foden, de Bruyne was rested last week. Rio Ferdinand then asked Guardiola if he wants to play the Belgian and one of his youth players together in the starting lineup one day. “I thought a lot about letting them play.
There will be more time after we get back to Manchester early in the morning, but tomorrow we’re going to Madrid,” the City manager explained.
“I’m not stupid; I’d love to see Phil on the field, but there are a lot of games and players, so that’s why I made that choice.” For the game against Palace, City has also made three other changes. Erling Haaland, John Stones, and Oscar Bobb have come back into the starting lineup in place of Jeremy Doku, Bernardo Silva, and Manuel Akanji.
