Pep Guardiola makes Phil Foden form admission ahead of Liverpool title decider | OneFootball

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has addressed Phil Foden’s dip in form in recent months as the Blues continue to fight for silverware on four fronts.

Foden has struggled to replicate his 2025 autumn form in recent months amid City’s disappointing start to the new calendar year, with the Blues winning just one of their last six Premier League games.

City will be hoping to book a Carabao Cup final date with Arsenal when they face Newcastle United in the return leg of their semi-final tie at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night, with Marc Guehi unavailable for time restriction reasons explained here.

Guardiola will be hoping his side can return to winning ways at home as they prepare for a monumental Premier League battle against Liverpool at Anfield at the weekend, with no room for error left after City squandered a two goal lead against Tottenham last week.

The Blues are not purring like usual and while they continue to grapple with key injury absentees, City have too many players who are not playing at their best, including Phil Foden, who has been in and out of the starting XI in recent weeks.

In his pre-Newcastle press conference on Tuesday afternoon, Guardiola was asked for his two cents on the England international’s recent struggles.

“Step by step, he’ll be back; he’s my son, he’s our son. We try to protect him and we need his best, of course, to come back to what we are,” Guardiola said in a passionate defence of the 25-year-old forward.

When probed further on why Foden has suffered from ups and downs in his form, Guardiola added: “Because he’s a human being, and you have seven, eight, nine years of career, sometimes you have ups and downs, so it’s as simple as that. I’m not going to be the one who’s going to doubt the quality of Phil and how important he is.”

Guardiola needs his best players, including Foden, to start hitting top gear if Manchester City are to hunt Arsenal down and finish the season with silverware, having strengthened their ranks with the arrivals of Guehi and Antoine Semenyo in January.

Foden was introduced late on in City’s draw in north London on Sunday evening as Dominic Solanke’s brilliant albeit controversial brace in the second-half salvaged a much-needed point for Thomas Frank’s men – after goals from Rayan Cherki and Semenyo had given City a two goal lead before the interval.

City are hoping to welcome Ruben Dias back against Liverpool, with Cherki facing a late fitness test that will determine whether the France international will feature against Newcastle United after he suffered a knock in north London.

There is every chance that Guardiola shuffles his lineup against Newcastle on Wednesday night, given the advantage his side hold from the opening leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final as well as the importance that Sunday’s title decider against Liverpool holds in the context of the title race.