Guardiola ‘wants to help’ Foden get back to his best

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola wants to help Phil Foden return to prime form after the midfielder spoke about his struggles this season.

Foden, 24, said off-field issues and an ankle injury suffered against Manchester United in April contributed to him being below his best and he wants to get his head “mentally right”.

“It’s true, Phil said that and of course he has not been [at his best],” said Guardiola.

“[He hasn’t been at his best] not [just] for him, all of us, his family, for us – he’s a baby boy from the academy and become a star with us.

“We want to help him, that’s the most important thing. He needs rest and it’s going to happen now after Sunday.”

Foden scored 19 Premier League goals to help City achieve an unprecedented fourth English top-flight title in a row last season.

He won the Professional Footballers’ Association and Football Writers’ Association player of the season awards, as well as being named in the PFA team of the year.

But he has managed only 10 goals across all competitions this term and has failed to score in his past 19 games for club and country – a run stretching back to January.

Foden said the season has been “difficult” and “frustrating”, adding that if “everything was OK” he would “definitely” have been better on the field.

Guardiola added: “Step by step he is going to come back. I just want to help him, that is what we want.

Foden was left out of the forthcoming England games by manager Thomas Tuchel, with the Three Lions facing Andorra in a World Cup qualifier on 7 June and friendly against Senegal at the City Ground three days later.

Asked if there was a conversation between club and country about the omission, Guardiola said: “I don’t know about England national team. It’s true he has been struggling a long time with his ankle.

“What happened with the national team belongs to Thomas.”

City have a short turnaround after the Fulham game, travelling to the newly expanded Club World Cup in the United States, beginning their group campaign against Moroccan side Wydad AC in Philadelphia on 18 June.