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
Pep Guardiola says Phil Foden’s minutes are just being handled in the midst of a demanding season, after the midfielder was named to start on the bench against Crystal Palace.
The Englishman has been instrumental in City’s pursuit of a fourth consecutive Premier League title.
He has 14 goals and seven assists in 30 games this season, including a hat-trick against Aston Villa in midweek, as the club sits three points behind leaders Liverpool and one behind second-placed Arsenal.
Saturday’s early kick-off at Selhurst Park gives City the potential to leapfrog both of their opponents and pile on the pressure ahead of their respective games, but if Foden is to have an effect, he must do so from the bench.
“It was difficult [to leave him out], but as a manager, you can’t allow players to play,” Guardiola told TNT Sports prior of kickoff. “I constantly make tough decisions. But there are a lot of games.
“Look at Phil’s game against Arsenal, which lasted 96 minutes, and his friendly games with the national team; he couldn’t move. So there are a lot of games, which is why we decided on it.”
Kevin de Bruyne will replace Foden in the match against Oliver Glasner’s side, having been rested in midweek. Rio Ferdinand then asked Guardiola whether he wanted to play both the Belgian and his academy product in the same starting lineup later on.
“I thought a lot about letting them play; there will be more after we return to Manchester early, but we travel to Madrid tomorrow,” the City manager explained. “I would love to have Phil on the pitch; I am not foolish; I would like to watch him, but there are a lot of games and players, which is why I chose that.”
City have made three other changes for the Palace encounter, with Erling Haaland, John Stones, and Oscar Bobb replacing Jeremy Doku, Bernardo Silva, and Manuel Akanji in the starting lineup.
