Guardiola praises Foden's role in Manchester City surge into Premier League title race

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has hailed the growing influence of midfielder Phil Foden in his team's rise up the Premier League.

Foden, making his seventh league start of the season, scored the only goal of the game as City beat Brighton and Hove Albion at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night.

The victory was City's fourth on the trot in the Premier League and it enabled Guardiola's side to go third - four points behind leaders Manchester United who have played one game more.

"Phil Foden is 20 years old, look at the starts. The amount of games, the assists compared to the bigger stars in football," Guardiola said. "He can play both sides, in the middle as a false nine. He is so, so clever in front of goal.

"That is why he deserves to play. He is playing good.”

Praise
Guardiola has never wavered in his praise for Foden since he handed the then 17-year-old his City debut as a substitute in a Champions League game against Feyenoord.

Despite breaking into the England squad, Foden seemed to be down the pecking order. Last season he was linked with loan moves away to gain regular first-team football.

But his decision to stay among a star-packed squad appears to be reaping rewards.

Foden was the leading light in a City front three which also included Algeria and Portugal internationals Riyad Mahrez and Bernardo Silva.

His goal came on the stroke of half-time. Collecting a pass from Kevin De Bruyne in the Brighton penalty area, his first touch took out two defenders before he dispatched a low shot inside the post and beyond the dive of Brighton goalkeeper Robert Sanchez.

Marksman
He is now City's leading scorer this season with eight goals in all competitions.

"We want to keep this form and we want to keep pushing to try to win the league hopefully," Foden said.

City squandered several chances in the second-half to stretch their lead. But Graham Potter's men failed to make City pay for their lack of precision.

Alex Mac Allister curled one effort just wide and Davy Propper just failed to connect with Bernardo's inviting cross.

The hosts could have eased the tension in second-half stoppage time but substitute Raheem Sterling lashed a penalty over the crossbar.

While the win propelled City into the epicentre of the title fight, the defeat added to Brighton's winless league run of nine matches.

They lie one place above the relegation zone with 14 points from 18 games.