Phil Foden loses it as Man City star spotted ‘going mad’ vs Liverpool
Phil Foden was left “going mad” with at the referee as Man City struggled at Liverpool, as Gary Neville sympathised with the England star.
Pep Guardiola’s side were looking to end a run of six games without a win as they travelled to Anfield on Sunday (1st December).
However, they fell behind on 12 minutes with the Reds having dominated the opening exchanges, after a brilliant Mo Salah assist gave Cody Gakpo a tap-in.
There would be more frustration for Man City on 26 minutes, when Ryan Gravenberch brought down Foden as the attacker looked to mount a counter.
The Liverpool midfielder escaped a booking, and speaking on co-commentary on Sky Sports, Neville agreed with Foden’s disappointment, saying: “Should have been a booking. It’s not the worst foul but it’s actually a cynical one, and to be fair Phil Foden’s going mad.
“I think he’s right actually. It’s not the worst foul in the world but the pass was in for Nunes, he was clear. The referee’s not spotted the danger I don’t think.”
Six minutes later Foden himself would go into the book for a pull-back on Gravenberch, that Neville admitted was “obvious”.
The saga then came full circle with 35 minutes on the clock, when the Liverpool man was shown a yellow card for a barge on Ilkay Gundogan, which prompted the co-commentator to admit “he was never going to get away with that.”
Phil Foden frustration for Man City caught by Gary Neville
Football Insider Opinion
Things have not been going Foden’s way in the Premier League this season, with the attacker struggling to recreate his previous form.
That has surely been weighing on him amid his side’s struggles and moments like this will not have helped his mood.
Gravenberch’s challenge was certainly a cynical one, and there are plenty of examples of players being booked for those in the past, but Chris Kavanagh was unmoved.
The Man City man would have felt that, in the circumstances, the champions needed such moments to go their way if they are to lift themselves out of an unprecedented slump.
His own booking just a few moments later will have added insult to injury, and Foden did noticeably make the point about Gravenberch previously escaping a booking at that point.
With the Liverpool man later going into the book City might argue he would have been off had Kavanagh done his job, but with Mo Salah scoring a second from the spot after the break it looks like Foden, Guardiola and City have bigger problems.
In other news, Man City could accept January offers for one player.
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