Phil Foden names Chelsea star as his toughest-ever opponent ahead of Premier League showdown 

Manchester City star Phil Foden has named Chelsea's Reece James as the toughest opponent he has faced so far in his career.

Foden can and has played in central midfield but usually plays down the left flank. He has come up against James several times in the past and believes the English right-back is the toughest opponent he has ever faced, as per Chelsea reporter Olivia Buzaglo. Her tweet read:

"I’ve just finished a Q+A with the lovely Phil Foden & he said the toughest full-back he’s ever played against is Reece James. #MCFC #CFC"

The two players, who have also faced each other at the youth level, have come up against each other five times at the senior level. Foden has failed to score or assist in any of those five encounters, with Manchester City winning two and losing three of those games.

James and Foden are likely to come up against each other once again when the Blues host Manchester City in the Premier League on Sunday (12 November). Foden (23) has featured in all but one of Manchester City's 18 games across competitions this season, scoring five and assisting four goals.

The 23-year-old Chelsea right-back, meanwhile, has returned from a hamstring injury and featured in their last three league games. He was announced as the club's new captain this summer but has only started on two occasions in the league since then.

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Where do Manchester City and Chelsea sit in the Premier League table?

Manchester City are currently sitting atop the league table after a three-game winning run in the competition.

Their most recent Premier League match saw them hammer Bournemouth 6-1 at home. The Cityzens now have 27 points from 11 games so far, which is 12 more than what 10th-placed Chelsea have amassed so far.

Pep Guardiola's team have dominated this fixture in recent seasons. They have won six consecutive games against Chelsea across competitions and haven't conceded a single goal during that time.

The Blues' last win against the Cityzens came on arguably the biggest stage in European football. They won the 2020-21 UEFA Champions League final by a 1-0 margin, with Kai Havertz scoring the only goal that day.