Pep Guardiola gives injury update on Phil Foden - Man City star a doubt for FA Cup tie v Arsenal

Pep Guardiola has revealed Phil Foden missed Manchester City’s Premier League win over Wolverhampton Wanderers due to an ongoing foot injury.

The England international was not involved in a City matchday squad for the first time this season, as the Blues beat Wolves 3-0 thanks to an Erling Haaland hat-trick on Sunday. It was revealed prior to the game that Foden wasn’t ‘fully fit’, but speaking afterwards, Guardiola explained a foot problem could rule him out of Friday’s FA Cup meeting with Arsenal.

“It was an action in Old Trafford, a jam with [Aaron] Wan-Bissaka,” the City manager said, when asked about the injury. “When he falls down he has a problem in his feet.

“He’s struggling so far. Painful, two or three days rest, gets better, then down. We decided with the doctors to stay to recover well.

“We will see if he arrives [in time] for Arsenal, if he’s not fit we wait until the next game at Spurs [on 5 February]. Otherwise, he doesn’t train well, he’s a bit uncomfortable. That’s why we decided with the doctors to have two or three days off and see if he gets better.”

Guardaiola was happier with his side’s performance on Sunday compared to Thursday’s display against Tottenham Hotspur, after which he criticised his players in an extraordinary rant.

Asked if he’d seen an improvement, the former Barcelona manager replied: “Yeah, it is getting better but just one day, I have to wait.

“The way we play was quite similar to the first half where we were losing 2-0 to Spurs, our football was really, really good but it was 2-0. Today we improved but it was just today. We will see what happens in the next games.

“It was recovery day after, the guys who didn’t play, they train really well,” Guardiola added, on the response from his players since Thursday. “We talk a little bit to see what we have to do with the ball, without the ball we don’t train anything. I didn’t want to waste energy in the training session. We talk a little bit these what I think we missed. Now the message is clear: just one game. We have to see in the future.”