Phil Foden compared to Andres Iniesta after scoring first Manchester City goal

The teenage midfield star was involved in his team’s opening goals through Gabriel Jesus and Riyad Mahrez before he wrapped the scoring in injury-time.

Foden, 18, is known by City’s fans as the ‘Stockport Iniesta’ and Oxford boss Karl Robinson said: “His ability on the football is genius.

“You’d almost put him in the same bracket as when you see Iniesta… I remember seeing Barcelona live and seeing Iniesta playing in those sort of positions. He’s almost like that. He’s also small.

"So please academies, don’t release small talented players! There’s a home for them in our country. We can grow them, we can develop them, we can aid them.

“And I’ve worked with young players my whole career. It has been a real bug-bear of mine, that if you’re 6 foot 3, you’re not going to play at the highest level."

You’ve just seen today that if you’re talented, you’ve got an orientation about yourself, and ability to cope with the demands of the game, size has no impact. In the first half, him and Silva were a joy to watch.”

Although City were generally out of form, Robinson was amazed by Foden from the start.

He added: “We planned to press, and after three and a half minutes , we had three of ours press Foden. I think I blinked – and the next thing he was through them. His feet are to die for.

“These are things when you’re working with young players, that you find that only very few coaching sessions can really bring that out. There’s a natural talent to that. And it’s something I’ve not seen for a long time.”

Quizzed about the praise from the home manager, Guardiola said: “Wow. These are big big words. I have said many times we are delighted with Phil.

“The way he celebrated his first goal was like the final of the World Cup and that is because he is a City fan. He loves to play in that club.

"He is a special guy, it terms of the quality with or without the ball, and I am pretty sure he is going to mark the next decade with our club. My dream is for him to stay 10 years.

“I am not going to say he is going to become Andres Iniesta because it puts pressure on him, Iniesta is by far one of the best players I have ever seen in my life so we cannot put the pressure on Phil but he has the quality to stay here for 10 years because I think he wants to stay, I think the club wants him to.

"But step by step, he needs to play regularly, but I think he has all the skills to play with us.

“He is part of the first-team group. Last season, he started some days. Now, he is always part of our team and our group."


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