‘Their parents will be proud’ – Heskey brothers make Man City debuts

When the visiting Manchester City fans at Huddersfield sang the names of Yaya and Kolo Toure among their regular repertoire of songs for former players, they might not have anticipated a second pair of brothers playing on the same pitch in Yorkshire soon afterwards.

However, the manager turned his back on the bench and beckoned forward brothers Reigan and Jaden Heskey, both of whom were the sons of ex-England striker Emile, after their League One opponents in the Carabao Cup went 2-0 up.

Fans got to see his sons making their first-team debuts for the club after being given their instructions from a bench that included Kolo Toure, who is now a member of City’s backroom staff, and 10 years after dad Emile’s final EFL Cup appearance.

Guardiola stated that the academy made six starting XI players today.

The Heskey brothers “come on two more times.” I believe their parents will be incredibly proud of their children. That is really cool.

Reigan is referred to as a “tricky, clinical winger” on the City website, and at age 17 he is the younger brother, Jaden being viewed as a “mature, hard-working” box-to-box midfielder.

Both of City’s academy teams have a regular roster, with Jaden frequently sporting the captain’s armband during Premier League 2 contests. He scored in the City City 4-0 win over Leeds to win the FA Youth Cup in 2024.

Heskey claimed in August that “they’re similar to me.” They both have excellent athleticism.

The youngster moves very quickly. The more senior one is a little bit like me.

They both share similar characteristics, according to the statement.

Phil Foden, perhaps City’s most decorated young graduate of recent years, was the one who once more caught the eye.

The midfielder claimed last year that his struggles stemmed from an injury and off-field issues, which caused him to play 20 games without scoring.

However, the 25-year-old appears to be returning to the form he did in 2024 when he won the Player of the Year and the Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year awards.

Foden played a key role in Wednesday’s win at Accu Stadium, contributing two goals and two assists in five games this season.

Guardiola claimed that “we have already seen Phil in our recent games against Arsenal, Napoli, and [Manchester United], he was really good.

Every player realizes their potential when a team plays better, but not just today.

He perfectly plays in the pockets, but he also gives you something special when he plays a little free.

Foden looked unmatched on the field despite being League One opponent.

He exchanged passes with another debutant, Divine Mukasa, and drilled in an unerring finish that matched his trademarks against the Terriers.

The 25-year-old was determined to showcase his talents by conducting the play by spraying the ball around team-mates as he played his fourth game in 11 days.

Savinho scored the winning goal in the second half to advance to the fourth round of the competition, where City will face Swansea in the championship. He demonstrated excellent awareness when he laid the ball off.

Former England international Sue Smith remarked on BBC Radio 5 Live that “Phil Foden was instrumental in everything Manchester City did.”

“It’s great to see him playing this level again. He had a difficult last season due to injuries and other issues, but when he was at his best, he was unstoppable.

Rico Lewis, a teammate, claimed Foden’s success on the pitch is being attributed to his happiness.

“Everyone has seen how talented he is,” Lewis said. He has his confidence back, and the goals come along with it, he says.

He simply needs to keep doing what he is doing, and that includes being happy because he does so well.

Before the international break, Foden will be hoping to impress more and earn a spot in Thomas Tuchel’s England squad by hosting Burnley on Saturday, followed by trips to Monaco and Brentford.

Foden has 45 caps for the Three Lions, with the final one coming against Latvia in March.

For the first time since December 19th, 2023, England midfielder Kalvin Phillips was wearing a City shirt for the first time at the Club World Cup, which Guardiola described as a “good moment.”

On Wednesday, Phillips became the second-generation father of Ari, taking the family on a trip to Huddersfield from London.