Man City big name has just been hit by a crushing blow, Pep Guardiola will be secretly pleased
Pep Guardiola will have to hide his relief after Thomas Tuchel announced his latest England squad at St George’s Park.
Man City beat Burnley 5-1 on Saturday, 27 September, to move up to seventh in the Premier League table, but it has been a far from convincing start to the 2025-26 campaign for the Citizens.
Guardiola is under pressure at Man City to turn his fortunes around, especially after his team scraped Champions League qualification last season with a flurry of late wins.
The manager cannot currently afford any more high-profile injuries, with Omar Marmoush still on the sidelines from the previous international window, alongside Rayan Ait-Nouri and Abdukodir Khusanov.
James Trafford and John Stones have both been called up to represent the Three Lions later this month, but one of their teammates is a surprise absentee from the squad.
Thomas Tuchel snubs Phil Foden from the latest England squad
Alongside Jude Bellingham and Jack Grealish, Phil Foden has also been left out of the squad to face Wales and Latvia, having also been left out of the last two squads under Tuchel.
Those selections were absolutely warranted, but with four goal contributions and multiple Man of the Match performances since the middle of September, it is baffling to see him miss out.
It will also be very disheartening for the player, who will be desperate to represent his country and prove his doubters wrong, but he can only do that if Guardiola continues to trust him at the Etihad.
With Rayan Cherki close to full fitness, those opportunities might be taken away sooner rather than later, but after the latest news, the manager will be pretty chuffed by Tuchel’s choice, and here’s why.
Why Pep Guardiola will be secretly relieved
Foden has rarely thrived on the international stage with the Three Lions, and whenever he returns from the international camp, the Citizens are forced to deal with a version of the player devoid of confidence.
Playing for Tuchel rips the creativity and joy out of his football, which only ever translates poorly on the pitch for Man City, and that is the last thing that Guardiola wants right now.
Of course, avoiding any further injuries is a major point for the Catalan, having been handed multiple setbacks already, but preserving Foden’s current form should also be top of the list.
Guardiola has no control over the midfielder once on international break, but if he can be rested for the two weeks later this month, it will be a huge boost for the Citizens.