Man City star Phil Foden has admitted that a combination of injury setbacks and personal issues off the pitch have hampered his form this season.
The 24-year-old midfielder was a standout performer in City’s 2023/24 Premier League title-winning run, notching 19 goals and collecting several individual accolades, including Premier League Player of the Season, FWA Footballer of the Year, and a place in the PFA Team of the Year.
However, the 2024/25 campaign has proven far more challenging. Foden has scored just 10 times across all competitions and is currently enduring a 19-game goal drought for both club and country. Speaking candidly about his struggles, the England international pointed to an ankle ligament injury sustained during a goalless Manchester derby in April, as well as personal challenges off the pitch.
“It’s been difficult,” Foden said. “It took a while to heal before I could push myself back in training. I had to look after it. It’s been a frustrating season for me. I know if everything was OK, I’d definitely be better on the field. Sometimes things happen and you have to deal with it and move on.”
The injury, caused by a challenge from United’s Casemiro, sidelined Foden briefly, though he returned to training sooner than expected. Despite this, he concedes that both physical and mental fatigue have impacted his performances.
“I’ve had a lot of things going on off the pitch mentally. Sometimes there’s things in life that are bigger than football. This season I’ve struggled a little bit,” he added. “Hopefully come next year I can get my head mentally right, get back where I left the season before – because I know what I’m capable of.”
The midfielder was also subjected to abuse from opposition fans during the Old Trafford clash, prompting City manager Pep Guardiola to condemn the chants as showing a “lack of class.”
Foden’s form has mirrored City’s own disappointing campaign. The club surrendered their Premier League crown, exited the Champions League in the Round of 16, and suffered a shock defeat to Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final. They now head into their final league fixture at Fulham on Sunday, needing just a point to secure Champions League qualification for next season.
Looking ahead, the fixture list offers little respite. City will compete in the newly-expanded FIFA Club World Cup in the United States, kicking off on 14 June. Foden acknowledged the challenge of maintaining fitness and focus through the quick turnaround.
“It’s obviously difficult because the lads are mentally drained from this season,” he said. “I believe everyone needs the right time to recover, but I know City and the club we are-we’ll definitely take (the Club World Cup) seriously.”
On the international front, England boss Thomas Tuchel is set to name his squad on Friday for the World Cup qualifier against Andorra and a friendly against Senegal. Foden, however, remains uncertain over his availability, with ongoing discussions about whether to prioritise recovery over international duty.
“It’s a difficult situation with the internationals right around the corner,” he said. “It’s something we have to speak with the club and national team about-maybe it’s better to rest and get my ankle fully back to 100 percent. We’ll see what happens.”
