Phil Foden delivered a dazzling performance as Manchester City thrashed Borussia Dortmund 4-1 in the Champions League on Wednesday night, reigniting talk of a return to the England squad.
The 25-year-old midfielder struck twice in a vintage display that underlined his revival under Pep Guardiola after a turbulent previous season.
His form comes at an ideal time, with England manager Thomas Tuchel set to name his World Cup qualifying squad next week.
Guardiola, speaking after the match, praised Foden’s performance but stopped short of urging Tuchel to recall him.
He said Tuchel “knows perfectly well how good Phil is,” adding that England was “lucky to have so many good players” but that Foden must “keep pushing to be better and better.”
The City boss insisted that Foden was already back to his best. “He’s there. We missed his goals and he gave us two incredible ones,” Guardiola said.
“When Phil plays with joy and freedom, he’s a special player. We definitely need his goals and hopefully this is the first step.”
Foden, who has not played for England since March, said he was simply enjoying his football again. “I just need to play with a smile on my face, which I’m doing,” he told TNT Sports.
“Last year was tough for everyone, but now we’ve got new togetherness and hunger. You can tell we’re back to being the team we used to be.”
With Liverpool visiting the Etihad on Sunday, Guardiola said the timing of Foden’s form could not be better. “Before a big, big match like that, it’s important to have him back,” he said.
