Phil Foden has broken his silence after he was subjected to vile chants during Sunday’s 0-0 draw in the Manchester derby.
Foden, 24, started for Manchester City against their arch-rivals Manchester United in what proved to be a poor spectacle at Old Trafford.
But it was not the action on the pitch that was a talking point after the match.
Foden was targeted by insulting chants regarding his mother during the first half of the Premier League fixture.
In his post-match press conference City boss Pep Guardiola condemned the chants, he said: “Lack of class. But it’s not United, it’s the people, you know? We are so exposed, people who are on the screen in world football – managers, owners, and football players especially. Honestly, I don’t understand the mind of the people involving the mum of Phil, it’s a lack of integrity, class, and they should be ashamed.”
Guardiola added: “When the team is not playing the level and standards we had, everyone looks not what we were.
“Phil, there is no doubt; I see every training the passion, the smile on his face. This is what I want… Of course, the impact has not been, but not [just] Phil. If you see the numbers in the last four, five, six years, many players are here in terms of goals and assists, this season we dropped incredibly, all of them, not just one, ALL of them. That’s why we’re struggling to create or win, but the quality is there.
Phil Foden in action against Manchester United on Sunday (Credit:Getty)
“Sometimes in a long career, you have seasons you are not – maybe last season he arrived at the peak in terms of the best player in the Premier League, he won the Premier League in the last games and his impact was incredible – and he will be back.”
At 10:38 pm on Sunday evening, Foden took to social media posting three photographs from the day’s action accompanied by the caption: “We keep going,” and did not address the chants.
The England international has been out of sorts during the 2024/25 campaign and has failed to build on his 2023/24 season, during which he won the Player of the Season award after registering 27 goals and 13 assists in 53 appearances last term.
