Phil Foden sends three-word message to Man City fans after they destroy him
Phil Foden remained upbeat on social media despite facing criticism from Man City fans after his display against Man United.
Man City were held to a frustrating 0-0 draw in the Manchester derby at Old Trafford on 6 April, with Pep Guardiola’s side struggling to find a breakthrough.
Foden’s performance drew criticism from the Man City fanbase, who felt the England international failed to influence the game.
He was substituted after just 57 minuted for Jeremy Doku, after he failed to hit the target with any of his shots or complete a single dribble in the game.
Despite the noise surrounding his performance, Foden remained positive and responded with a message to fans following the draw, showing no signs of letting the pressure affect his mindset.
| Match statistics | Phil Foden |
| Minutes played | 57′ |
| Shots off target | 2 |
| Ground duels won | 0/5 |
| Possession lost | 14 |
Phil Foden struggling with expectations at Man City
Foden shared a message on Instagram alongside photos from the derby to say: “We keep going.”
Plenty of his City teammates responded with support, such as young talent Nico O’Reilly who commented “My brother” while Rico Lewis and Matheus Nunes were among those who liked the post.
It’s been a challenging campaign for the 24-year-old. Former Manchester United chief scout Mick Brown told Football Insider last month that Foden is struggling under the weight of expectation at Man City and the growing demands on him.
He has yet to replicate the form that saw him win the PFA Player of the Year award last season and has struggled to make a consistent impact for both club and country.
England fans were also critical of Foden’s performances during the recent international break, which led to him being dropped for the game against Latvia.
This follows earlier claims from Brown in November, who revealed Man City staff were already concerned with Foden’s form at that time, as he had yet to score a single Premier League goal by then.
Man City eye Florian Wirtz to replace Kevin De Bruyne instead of Phil Foden
With Kevin De Bruyne set to leave the club at the end of the season, some have expected Foden to be his natural successor in the attacking midfield role.
However, Man City fans have repeatedly scrutinised Foden’s performances this season, and the club appear to be preparing for a different direction.
Football Insider revealed that Man City have already opened talks with Florian Wirtz’s representatives ahead of a potential summer move.
The German international won’t come cheap and is also attracting strong interest from Bayern Munich, but he’s seen as an ideal long-term replacement for De Bruyne and is a signing who could define the next era at the Etihad.