Frank Lampard points out ‘problem’ with Phil Foden in Man City team

Frank Lampard claimed that Pep Guardiola has a ‘problem’ trying to select Kevin De Bruyne and Phil Foden their best positions for Manchester City.

De Bruyne has traditionally been City’s go-to creative midfielder, but it’s Foden who has so often produced match-winning performances this season, particularly when his Belgian team-mate was injured earlier in the campaign.

Since De Bruyne returned from that hamstring issue in January, Foden has regularly been shunted out to the wide areas, despite repeatedly stressing his preference to play through the middle. In fact, that’s often where his best performances have come from for City, with the England international’s stellar displays this term seeing him considered among the favourites to win the Player of the Season awards.

Both De Bruyne and Foden played through the middle against Chelsea in Saturday’s FA Cup win, and City were far from their fluid best. It underlines the issue for Guardiola as he tries to accommodate two world-class talents.

Lampard, a player renowned with attacking contributions from midfield, said it’s Foden versatility that means he often ends up playing out wide.

“For me, the no.10, a central position [is his best position],” the former Chelsea and City star said on BBC Sport ahead of the FA Cup semi-final. “I think the problem is that with Kevin De Bruyne, when he’s fit, generally, you have to work around that. 

“He [Foden] has absolutely got the talent to work around and recently we’ve seen is the interchanging of position - starting out wide and coming off the line and that’s a big part of Manchester City’s game. But you have a player who can offer you solutions in that no.10, on the side or in the false nine as he’s played previously.

“You can trust him in a young man and there’s something about these young players that there’s a hunger in certain players and they just want to improve all the time,” Lampard added. “You seen that in his development, took his time, looked a little bit frustrated but now he is saying ‘I am the man’. We have seen the player that has developed that extra level.”

A late Bernardo Silva goal at Wembley ensured it’s City who will be return to the stadium again in five weeks time to face either Manchester United or Coventry City in the final. The FA Cup holders were far from their best on Saturday and looked tired just three days after that gruelling 120-minute slog against Real Madrid.

But having ridden their luck for long spells in the opening 70 minutes, City ended the game on top. De Bruyne’s driven cross inside the box found its way to Silva in the 84th minute and his shot managed to sneak in despite Marc Cucurella’s sliding tackle on the line.