'He didn't play good!' - Pep Guardiola calls out Phil Foden for 'rushing every action' in shock dressing down after Man City star gets on scoresheet again in win at Crystal Palace

Foden has well and truly put his troubles from last season behind him and proved to be City's most reliable player this season behind top scorer Erling Haaland. 

Foden has 10 goals and four assists in all competitions and has come into his own in recent weeks. He hit a brace against Leeds last month, including a last-minute winner, got another double in the 5-4 thriller at Fulham in the next game, while scoring and assisting in last weekend's comfortable win at home to Sunderland. 

City had taken a barely-deserved lead at Palace thanks to a header from Haaland and Foden's goal effectively wrapped up the points before Haaland struck again, this time from the penalty spot. But Guardiola was still not pleased with the midfielder's performance.

Guardiola told BBC Match of the Day: "Today he [Phil Foden] didn't play good, he lost a lot of balls. He was rushing with every action, he needs to play more calm and keep the ball and in the right moment change the gear. Saying that he is doing terrific for the team."

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Foden admitted that Palace had tested City and stressed that his side had to show patience to take the lead and hold on for the win. He told Sky Sports: "It's a really difficult game. We know what they are about. They make it tricky, set up well and have quality players on the break. The first half we were just trying to figure them out. Second half we started to hurt them more and in the end we killed the game off.

"The most important thing is patience. I think we maybe tried to attack too quickly. In the second half we did a lot better. That was the key for getting the result today. We had more control and more passes that is the City way. It is a full team performance. Really happy. I have been in great form in the Premier League recently and I'm delighted to keep that going."

Unlike with Foden, Guardiola had plenty of words of praise for Haaland after seeing the Norwegian score his 101st and 102nd Premier League goals for City. "Erling is a forward to score the goals but in the second half he keeps the ball," he said. "He was able to contain situations. He helped us be together. In the second half he was outstanding."

The win meant City kept the pressure on Premier League leaders Arsenal, who are two points clear at the top, and on third-placed Aston Villa who are just one point behind Guardiola's side in third. Unai Emery's Villa twice came behind to win at West Ham on Sunday and claim their ninth consecutive win in all competitions.

"It is a really tough place to come," Guardiola added when pressed on the significance of City's latest win. "When you lose the ball they attack incredibly well but we were patient. We were lucky when they hit the post from Wharton but really pleased for the performance and victory to grow our mentality."

City are in insatiable form at the moment, winning their last five matches in all competitions including beating Real Madrid at the Bernabeu on Wednesday to increase their chances of advancing directly into the Champions League knockout stage. They face Brentford next at home in the Carabao Cup, with a place in the semi-finals up for grabs. City won the Carabao Cup in four consecutive years between 2018 and 2021 but have not made it to the last four since last winning the competition.