Phil Foden’s numbers show adaptation rather than decline | OneFootball

When Phil Foden delivered the most prolific season of his career in 2023/24, the expectation was clear.

Manchester City’s academy star had evolved into a primary attacking force, a player capable of shouldering goal output while maintaining his trademark technical control. 19 league goals, eight assists, and elite underlying metrics across the board placed him firmly among the Premier League’s most decisive players.

That level of output also placed him in rare company. Across all competitions, his goal contributions were broadly in line with the best return of Eden Hazard’s Premier League career, a 26-goal involvement campaign in 2018/19 – widely considered the benchmark of his time at Chelsea.

It is a comparison that underlines just how high Phil Foden set the bar for himself. But fast forward to 2025/26, and the conversation has shifted.

On the surface, 19 goal involvements in 49 appearances suggests a drop-off. For a player who once rivalled the league’s most productive attackers, those numbers appear modest. Yet dig deeper, and a very different picture emerges, and one that reinforces Foden’s continued importance to Pep Guardiola’s side.

In the Premier League this season, Foden ranks in the 94th percentile for both successful passes (937) and successful long balls (39), sits in the 91st percentile for chances created (46), and an impressive 96th percentile for successful crosses (35). Even his dribble success rate (53.7%) and defensive contributions place him comfortably above average.

These numbers do not reflect a player in decline, but rather one in a transitional phase of his career.

That adaptation is perhaps most clearly reflected in where Phil Foden is receiving the ball. In 2023/24, he recorded 201 touches in the opposition box – placing him in the 91st percentile, highlighting his role as a consistent final-third threat. This season, that figure has dropped significantly to 80 (73rd percentile), a decline that directly correlates with his reduced goal output.

Since 2024, the arrivals of Rayan Cherki, Tijjani Reijnders, Antoine Semenyo, Omar Marmoush, and Savinho have redistributed responsibility in the final third. Where Foden was once a focal point, he is now part of a broader, more varied attacking unit.

Context matters here. During his standout 2023/24 campaign, both Kevin De Bruyne and Rodri missed significant periods, naturally increasing Phil Foden’s influence in advanced areas. This season, with greater depth and availability, his role has shifted – often operating deeper, predominantly within the second third rather than consistently occupying high attacking positions. And still, the output beyond goals remains elite.

For England, Foden’s impact in World Cup qualifiers reinforces that point. Operating with control and efficiency, he ranks in the 98th percentile for passing accuracy (92.5%), has been dispossessed just once across four matches, and is averaging an assist every other game. It is a profile built on security, creativity, and intelligence  rather than end product.

In 2023/24, Foden ranked in the 98th percentile for goals (19), 96th for shots (105), and 95th for chances created (73). Those are the metrics of a high-volume attacker. By contrast, 2025/26 reflects a player contributing across phases — progressing play, creating opportunities, and supporting defensive structure.

Crucially, his reduced goal involvement does not necessarily indicate regression. Instead, it reflects a redistribution of attacking burden. With multiple players now capable of delivering in decisive moments, Foden has not been required to dominate output in the same way.

This raises an interesting question heading into next season; does Foden lean further into this all-action, Bernardo Silva-like role, one defined by control, intelligence, and tactical flexibility? Or does he reassert himself as a primary goal contributor, competing within a crowded attacking unit to replicate his most productive campaign?

The answer may ultimately define how he is perceived.

Because if evaluation is limited to goals and assists alone, the nuance of his current role is lost. Players like Bernardo Silva have long demonstrated that influence extends far beyond raw output and Foden is increasingly operating within that same framework.

At 25-years-old, with both elite production and elite control already demonstrated, Phil Foden’s trajectory remains firmly upward.

If anything, the numbers suggest his best, in whatever form that takes, may still lie ahead. And perhaps more importantly, much of the criticism surrounding his current output says less about his performances, and more about a broader misunderstanding of what is being asked of him within this Manchester City side.