Wayne Rooney feels sorry for Phil Foden after ‘charity sub’ appearance in Carabao Cup final | OneFootball

Wayne Rooney has admitted he feels sorry for Phil Foden after the Manchester City midfielder made a “charity sub” cameo in the Carabao Cup final.

Foden was brought off the bench in the 90th minute of City’s triumph over Arsenal at Wembley on Sunday, entering the fray with Pep Guardiola’s side cruising at 2-0 with the trophy in the bag.

He replaced Rayan Cherki who has been preferred to the Englishman in recent weeks, while the January arrival of Antoine Semenyo has also seen Foden fall down the pecking order.

Speaking on the BBC's Wayne Rooney Show, the former Manchester United forward said: "I felt sad for him but not sad because he is coming on in a cup final.

Manchester City’s Phil Foden holding the Carabao Cup (Ben Whitley/PA Wire)

"There was a game a few days ago when he didn't even get on the pitch. If that was Max Dowman coming on at the end, you would think good experience. But to see Phil Foden coming on in a cup final, it felt like a charity sub to get him on the pitch.”

The 25-year-old, who was the PFA Players’ Player of the Year in 2023/24, has made just four starts in City’s last 13 matches in all competitions and is without a goal since mid-December.

Foden spoke on the “ups and downs” a footballer can go through following City’s win on the weekend, pledging to get “back to where I was at the start of the season”.

And while he has been included in Thomas Tuchel’s 35-man squad for the March internationals, there are question marks over whether he will make the cut for a more trimmed-down World Cup squad this summer.

"I don't know what has happened, he is a top player. It feels strange he can't get anywhere near the team. It feels like something has gone on there,” Rooney added.

"I thought Foden was in good form but all of a sudden we haven't seen him get any minutes. Firstly he will be pleased they won the cup but from a selfish point of view, he would have wanted to be out there and having an influence.