Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney has said he feels "sad" for Phil Foden after the Manchester City star was reduced to a late cameo in the Carabao Cup final. The England international, once among the first names on Pep Guardiola's team sheet, was forced to watch from the sidelines as his side secured more silverware at Wembley.
Thomas Tuchel has unveiled his England squad for this month's friendlies at home to Uruguay and Japan. These fixtures will be the final two chances for the German to examine his squad in detail before the end of the club season, and he's gone a bit rogue in how he's decided on his roster, naming an expanded 35-player selection but effectively splitting the team in two.
Pep Guardiola is a big fan of Phil Foden, but has recently been playing the 25-year-old far less often at Manchester City. The winger has yet to score a goal in 2026.
Pep Guardiola has jumped to the defence of Phil Foden, insisting the Manchester City playmaker will inevitably rediscover his world-class form. The England international returned to the starting XI for the midweek 2-2 draw against Nottingham Forest at the Etihad Stadium, following an injury to youngster Nico O’Reilly, but he struggled to leave his usual mark on the contest. It has been a difficult stretch for the 2023-24 Premier League Player of the Season, who appears to be grappling with a significant dip in confidence.
Thomas Tuchel has been urged to snub the likes of Cole Palmer and Phil Foden by picking “world-beater” Marcus Rashford on the left wing for England at the 2026 World Cup. Former Three Lions star Lee Sharpe has told GOAL the Manchester United academy graduate, who is currently on loan at Barcelona, possesses qualities that his rivals for an international starting berth do not have.
Pep Guardiola has told Phil Foden to just relax amid his latest slump in form, but that is easier said than done, given his place in the Manchester City line-up is less certain than ever while his status in the England squad also at risk. Foden appeared to have put last season's struggles behind him towards the end of 2025, but he now appears to be suffering another dip at the worst possible time.
Wayne Rooney has outlined how Thomas Tuchel’s new England contract, which is due to take him through to the summer of 2028, will impact international stars such as Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden. The former Three Lions captain believes that the demanding German tactician is now less likely to make contentious decisions in his World Cup squad selection.
Though the Premier League took a week off to allow for the FA Cup, there were still plenty of storylines to follow within England, while title races around the rest of Europe continue to take plenty of twists and turns.
It's just as well Manchester City once again spent big during the January transfer window, as Marc Guehi and Antoine Semenyo were needed off the bench to help Pep Guardiola's men overcome Salford City in a surprisingly competitive FA Cup fourth-round clash at the Etihad on Saturday afternoon. Despite being gifted an early lead through Alfie Dorrington's own goal, City struggled horribly to break down their League Two opponents, while at the same time giving the visitors a couple of clear sights of goal.
Manchester City may be in need of a new captain next season, with Bernardo Silva’s contract running down towards free agency, and a prediction has been made regarding who will take the armband. Portuguese defender Ruben Dias and prolific Norwegian striker Erling Haaland are reported to be among those in contention to take over skipper duties at the Etihad Stadium.
The words, "It's Carrick, you know, it's hard to believe it's not Scholes" reverberated around Old Trafford during Manchester United's stunning 2-0 win over Manchester City on Saturday, and watching the Red Devils tear into their local rivals with gusto while putting the ball in the net five times, it was hard to believe that Ruben Amorim was in charge of this team for so long but never got them to play like this.
As we head into Christmas, it's time to review the Premier League season so far. Each side has played 17 games out of 38 and we've got a good idea of who will be fighting for what this year. Arsenal boast a two-point lead at the top from Manchester City and a further one from Aston Villa, while Wolves already seem destined for relegation at a Derby-esque pace.
Morgan Rogers has insisted he is doing all he can to keep his England place, with Thomas Tuchel's squad boasting a 'heap of quality'. The attacking midfielder continued his fine 2025-26 season on Sunday with a superb match-winning brace in Aston Villa's 2-1 triumph at home to Manchester United, taking his tally of Premier League goals to seven for the campaign.
After a 1-1 draw against a 10-man Sunderland side at the Stadium of Light on September 21, Aston Villa were languishing in the relegation zone and questions were being asked over Unai Emery's position as manager. The Villans finished fourth and sixth, respectively, in Emery's first two full seasons at the helm, but were winless after the opening five games of the 2025-26 campaign with only one goal on their record.
Phil Foden helped fire Manchester City past Crystal Palace but that did not prevent Pep Guardiola from speaking his mind and berating his player for his overall disappointing performance in the 3-0 win. Foden buried the ball in the net in the second half to score his sixth goal in four Premier League matches but his coach was not happy with how he played.
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