“Best player I’ve played with” – Manchester City star sends stern message to Phil Foden’s critics | OneFootball

Manchester City academy star Divine Mukasa has hailed Phil Foden for mentoring the club’s up-and-coming contingent of youth stars after impressing on his senior debut in a 2-0 win over Huddersfield Town on Wednesday evening.

Mukasa was one of six City Football Academy graduates named in the starting XI by Pep Guardiola against the Terriers, with goals from Foden and Savinho sealing the Blues’ place in the Carabao Cup fourth-round.

After naming an unchanged lineup in a week’s worth of games against Manchester United, Napoli and Arsenal, Guardiola shuffled his starting XI and leaned on the club’s rich array of academy talent to rise to the challenge in mid-week.

Foden was joined by Rico Lewis, Nico O’Reilly, Oscar Bobb, James Trafford and Mukasa in the starting XI against Huddersfield ahead of Manchester City’s Premier League clash with Burnley on Saturday – with the 25-year-old starting for the fourth successive game since his first start of the season against Manchester United a few weeks ago.

The England international has endured criticism for his sub-par displays in the last 12 months since leading Manchester City to a fourth successive Premier League title in 2024, when Foden scored 27 times and provided 13 assists in 53 appearances in all competitions for his boyhood club.

However, personal issues and recurring injury troubles have derailed the Stockport-born star to channel his best form on the pitch for City in the last year or so, with Foden admitting to mental and physical issues preventing him from kicking on from his personal best campaign since breaking into the Manchester City first-team from the academy in 2017.

After a delayed start to the 2025-26 campaign, Foden has turned a corner since scoring a crucial header against Manchester United a few weeks ago as impressive displays followed against Napoli, Arsenal and in midweek against Huddersfield Town.

Having starred on his senior Manchester City debut against the League One outfit, Divine Mukasa was quick to credit Foden for mentoring the club’s growing squadron of academy stars who have been given a taste of the first-team by Guardiola.

“I think he’s the best player I’ve ever played with and such a nice guy as well,” Mukasa said of Foden after City’s 2-0 win, as quoted by the Manchester Evening News. “He helps me a lot. It’s just been a pleasure to play with him.

“He’s just really encouraging. Any information, even small things like the warm-up and stuff like that, where I may not know what to do, he just helps me out and is really encouraging as well.”

Mukasa was also keen to hail City’s newly-appointed assistant coach Kolo Toure for his impact on the club’s youngsters. “So much. Not only from the manager, but from the assistants as well. Kolo (Toure) and the other Pep. They’re really helpful,” the 18-year-old midfielder added.

“I’ve got to give a big thank you to Kolo (Toure). I was with him in the (Under) 18s last year. He must have played a big part in pushing me and helping me get into the first team. He’s a big character. He definitely comes with a lot of things, but he’s a great coach.

“Same with the players as well. They’re so good. Even without speaking, you learn so much. They speak as well. “

With question marks over Erling Haaland’s fitness after the Norwegian’s complaints of back-pain in Manchester City’s 1-1 draw with Arsenal last week, Mukasa could be in line for his Premier League debut against Burnley on Saturday – just days after marking his senior debut for the Blues with a start and important win.