Rico Lewis and Kieran Trippier react to Phil Foden’s ‘fight’ message to Man City fans
Phil Foden kept an upbeat message to Man City supporters despite their frustrating draw with Southampton in the Premier League.
Manchester City suffered a setback in the race for a Champions League spot after a goalless draw against Southampton on 10 May. The result meant Pep Guardiola’s side missed the chance to go level on points with Arsenal ahead of the Gunners’ clash with Liverpool the following day.
Foden had a poor performance for Man City, despite returning to the side in his first start in five matches in all competitions.
Foden has come under criticism from some Man City fans this season, with questions raised over his performances and consistency in recent games and supporters expecting more from one of their standout players.
Still, the Englishman remained positive in his return to the starting line-up, sharing a message to fans following the disappointing result.
Phil Foden shares motivated message with Man City fans amid performance concerns
Despite growing frustration among City fans, Foden shared a motivated message to supporters following the goalless draw with Southampton. Writing on Instagram, he said: “Not the result we wanted but we will fight ‘til the end. Fans were class.”
His post drew reactions from around the league, with the likes of Newcastle’s Kieran Trippier, West Ham’s Aaron Wan-Bissaka, and City teammate Rico Lewis all liking the update.
Foden’s recent absence from the starting XI hasn’t come as a major shock to some, given his current form during a challenging season for both the player and the team.
Former Manchester United chief scout Mick Brown told Football Insider that Man City staff had already raised concerns about Foden’s performance levels earlier in the campaign in November — particularly as he had yet to score a single Premier League goal at that stage.
Although his numbers have improved slightly, his overall output remains below expectations, with just seven goals and two assists in the Premier League so far this season.
| Season statistics | Phil Foden |
| Appearances | 43 |
| Goals | 10 |
| Assists | 6 |
Man City turn attention to Morgan Gibbs-White as midfield reshuffle begins
It appears Guardiola is planning a significant squad rebuild this summer, and one name being heavily linked is Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White.
With Kevin De Bruyne’s looming exit, Football Insider previously reported that Man City have identified Gibbs-White as a key target. However, Forest are expected to demand a fee in excess of £100 million for the midfielder.
Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz is also on the club’s radar, but with his future still uncertain amid interest from Bayern Munich, City now seem to be shifting their focus towards securing Gibbs-White as a primary target.