Foden targeting return to best form for Manchester City’s Leipzig challenge

Phil Foden says he is beginning to rediscover the form that earned him the 2024 Premier League and PFA Player of the Season awards as Manchester City prepare to face RB Leipzig in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday.

The midfielder scored a career-best 27 goals in all competitions during that award-winning campaign. However, a difficult spell of form subsequently saw him left out of England’s squad for the FIFA World Cup 2026.

Foden, speaking to the media in Leipzig on Tuesday, believes he is now moving towards his previous level. He scored a hat-trick and provided an assist in Manchester City’s most recent Champions League fixture, a victory over AEK Athens in October.

“Consistency, just keep playing regularly, being happy, positive and being in the right positions to score as well,” Foden said when asked what he needed to regain his best form.

“So, hopefully I can get back to that level. I think I’m slightly starting to get back there now in my recent performances. I hope they just keep going and keep getting back.

“Being involved in goals gives you a lot of confidence and when you’re playing regularly as well you kind of just get into a rhythm and a groove.”

Foden also confirmed he had not spoken to England manager Thomas Tuchel since being omitted from the World Cup squad.

“All I try and do really is focus on my own game and hopefully one day the call-up might come back soon,” he said.

The 26-year-old, who grew up supporting Manchester City after coming through as a local junior, declined to discuss the Premier League’s charges against the club for alleged breaches of financial regulations.

“Respectfully, I’d just like to talk about the game and not answer anything like that,” he said.

Foden added that the change from long-serving manager Pep Guardiola to Enzo Maresca had been made easier because he had previously worked with the Italian at youth level.

“I understand him more than the other players because I’ve worked with him in the past so that helps me try and help the team.”

Maresca said Foden was improving and expected him to make a significant contribution this season, while acknowledging that he was competing with Rayan Cherki for a position.

“I see Phil day by day better and better, for sure, 100%. He’s going to give us many things this season,” said Maresca.

“I said many times that Phil and Rayan are more or less in the same position, but again, I’m very, very happy with the way Phil is working every day.”

Wednesday’s other UEFA Champions League fixtures include Fenerbahce v Liverpool, AEK v Real Madrid, Lens v Como, Dortmund v Betis, Porto v Napoli, PSV v Club Brugge, Slavia Praha v Arsenal and Viking v Sabah.

Tuesday’s results were Galatasaray 2-0 VfB Stuttgart, Shakhtar Donetsk 0-1 Sporting, Feyenoord 0-3 Inter, Bodø/Glimt 0-0 LOSC, Atletico 0-2 Bayern, Villarreal 0-6 PSG, Barcelona 3-0 Aston Villa, Manchester United 3-2 Roma and LASK 4-0 Slovan Bratislava.