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Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola hailed star midfielder Phil Foden after the team's spirited 3-1 victory over arch-rivals Manchester United in the Premier League.
Speaking in his post-match interview with the BBC, the Spaniard acknowledged Foden's importance to City's squad.
"One of the most important players for us and for England."
The 23-year-old was rather subdued in the first half of the game as Manchester United carried a 1-0 lead courtesy of Marcus Rashford's stunner. However, Phil Foden burst into life in the second half, scoring the equalizer just nine minutes after the restart.
His willingness to run at defenders and relentless dribbling to find and exploit spaces helped Manchester City turn the tide in their favor. Foden then grabbed his second of the night with a smart finish from an acute angle to make it 2-1 to City after 80 minutes.
Erling Haaland then made up for his shocking close-range miss in the first half with a simple finish to seal the deal in the 91st minute. Following the 3-1 win, Pep Guardiola's men are now within a point of Liverpool in first place.
Phil Foden has been a key component in Manchester City's performances. He has racked up 18 goals and 10 assists in 39 appearances for the club across competitions so far this season.
Phil Foden closing in on Manchester City history
Foden has performed remarkably well for City against cross-town rivals Manchester United in recent times.
So much that him and Erling Haaland have the most goals for City against the Red Devils in the last two seasons. None of the other players have more than three goals.
Both Foden and Haaland scored hat-tricks in Manchester City's 6-3 win at home over Manchester United last season. They are both now two goals short of City legend Sergio Aguero, who has scored eight goals against Manchester United in the Premier League.
Having closed the gap on Liverpool, Pep Guardiola will now shift his focus to facing the Reds next weekend (10 March). With just 13 games left this season, the result of that match at Anfield could prove to be pivotal in deciding this year's title race.
