BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) — While Erling Haaland maintained his staggering record of having more goals than games in the Champions League, it was the performance of another attacker that might have given Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola more satisfaction on Tuesday.
It is difficult to build too many narratives from an easy 4-0 win for City at outsider Slovan Bratislava, but Phil Foden’s display in the Slovakian capital — featuring a goal, a sumptuous assist and plenty more — was hard to ignore.
Given an extended break after helping England reach the European Championship final during the summer, the England forward has been eased into this campaign by Guardiola.
Indeed, this was just a second start in all competitions for Foden, last season’s player of the year in English soccer. The world might be about to see Foden at his best once again.
His finish for City’s second goal — a calm, low, curling shot into the far corner from just inside the area — was classic Foden and the type of strike he delivered time and again last season.
“It’s my signature, to be honest,” Foden said. “Get it out of my feet and find the far corner.”
Better was his scooped pass over Slovan’s back line to fellow academy product James McAtee for the substitute’s goal that rounded off the scoring on a comfortable night for the English champions, who had drawn 0-0 with Inter Milan to begin the new-look Champions League.
“Nice to score again but more importantly to enjoy my football,” Foden said. “Delighted with the result and how I played.
“I’ve had a very slow start to the season with a bit of illness and a bit of fatigue but I’m getting back into it now and feeling more like myself.”
Foden finished the game as City’s center forward, a role he might have to assume on the occasions Haaland isn’t around given the team sold back-up striker Julian Alvarez during the summer and didn’t sign a like-for-like replacement.
Haaland was substituted in the 60th minute having just scored City’s third, putting him on 42 goals in 41 appearances in Europe’s elite club competition.
It’s a remarkable record for a striker who, nevertheless, missed a great opportunity to really pour in the goals in a mismatch that saw City enjoy 76% possession and have 28 shots — three of them hitting the goal frame.
Instead, this was more a night for Foden to show how integral he remains for City and Guardiola.
His season starts here.
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