THE BIGGER PICTURE
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Foden has been deployed in a more central role by Guardiola, particularly in the absence of top scorer Erling Haaland, in this campaign. This slight tactical adjustment has allowed Foden to thrive and he believes that this shift has been instrumental in maximising his impact on the pitch, enabling him to showcase his abilities to the fullest extent.
WHAT FODEN SAID
Speaking to Sky Sports after the match, Foden said: "I have always said that I see myself centrally. This year I have moved inside and it has helped me massively. I enjoy it in the middle. It's where I want to be. At the moment, I am just enjoying my football and playing with freedom."
Foden's partnership with De Bruyne has facilitated his growth and provided him with the confidence to express himself on the field. The England international acknowledged the role of his teammate in his recent success and added: "I think when he is at it, he is the best player in the Premier League. It is nice that I am playing inside with him and hopefully, we can do it more. We just want to win game-by-game and push for the title. We don't get ahead of ourselves. Now the next game is coming quickly. Try to recover and we go again."
DID YOU KNOW?
Foden's two goals marked his 50th and 51st in the Premier League, making him just the third player aged 23 or younger to achieve a half-century of league goals under Guardiola's management, joining the illustrious company of Lionel Messi and Haaland.
Guardiola was elated with his performance against Brighton and claimed that the forward should be awarded the Premier League’s Player of the Year gong.
“For sure,” he told Sky Sports. “But he wants to win the Premier League. He has said that he wants another title. His influence in the final third with the goals and everything today was playing better than the previous two or three games. It was a little bit more calm and the decision-making was really good.”
WHAT NEXT?
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Looking ahead, Foden is poised to continue his impressive form alongside De Bruyne as City face relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest in their next match at the City Ground on Sunday. With momentum on their side, Foden and his teammates aim to maintain their title push and knock off Arsenal from the perch.
