Phil Foden scored a sensational hat-trick as Manchester Metropolis beat Aston Villa 4-1 on the Etihad Stadium to maintain the stress on their title rivals.
Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne dropped to the bench for the Premier League champions but it surely was no obstacle. Rodri opening the scoring early on and although Jhon Duran equalised it was the Foden present thereafter as he took the sport away from Villa.
A free-kick late within the first half, a sweeping end simply after the hour and a rocket shot from the sting of the field, it was masterful as he moved previous 20 objectives for the marketing campaign together with his second hat-trick of the season. No Haaland and no drawback for Pep Guardiola.
With Arsenal successful in opposition to Luton, the outcome was not sufficient to take Metropolis to the highest of the Premier League desk however they did transfer degree on factors with second-placed Liverpool in a single day. Villa stay fourth, two factors away from Tottenham, however now having performed an additional sport.
How Foden took the sport away from Villa
The inclusion of Jeremy Doku and Jack Grealish, making his first Premier League begin of 2024, freed up Foden to occupy a extra central position and it was from there that the England midfielder crafted Metropolis’s opening objective early on. It was to be simply the beginning.
Foden fed Doku down the fitting channel and the flying winger lower the ball again for Rodri to beat Robin Olsen within the Villa objective. The Swedish stopper was deputising for Emiliano Martinez, who went down unwell simply earlier than kick-off. There was little he might do.
The expectation at that time was that this could be a routine night for Metropolis in opposition to a depleted Villa facet that included solely 4 of the identical beginning line-up that had outplayed the reigning Premier League champions at Villa Park in December.
However a slick counter-attack modified the temper. Duran performed a intelligent one-two with Morgan Rogers earlier than tucking the ball away contained in the far publish to stun the house help. These had been worrying moments for Guardiola as Villa threatened on the break.
However there was a tempo to their attacking play on the different finish, the motion of Julian Alvarez providing one thing totally different to Haaland. The Argentina worldwide virtually scored just for Olsen to avoid wasting together with his toes however Metropolis didn’t have to attend lengthy.
Foden’s free-kick after a advantageous run by Grealish restored the lead however Unai Emery is not going to be proud of the way in which that Nicolo Zaniolo broke from the wall, permitting the ball to arrow previous him and go away the goalkeeper helpless to forestall it nestling behind the online.
There have been a few awkward moments for Metropolis within the second half as Stefan Ortega produced good stops to maintain out Douglas Luiz and Clement Lenglet but it surely was Foden’s night time. He discovered the nook simply after the hour when arrange by Rodri to ease any tensions.
And he was not finished, latching onto a free ball on the sting of the Villa field and blasting the ball previous Olsen. De Bruyne continues to be in Manchester however this season there’s a clear shift in affect. It’s Foden operating issues for Metropolis now. He might but take them to a different title.
Participant of the match: Phil Foden
Talking to TNT Sports activities afterwards, Foden stated: “I’m just loving my football at the moment. I’m just playing with a smile on my face and trying to help the team because I know I’m capable of scoring goals. I did that so I’m delighted.”
He added: “I just set myself [the target] of better than last season. Just get more goals, more contributions. I’m up this year so I’m doing well.
“I appear to have some actually technical play within the pockets and out huge, I can do this job however I want it within the center. This 12 months, I am rising into the sport. The supervisor spoke on displaying rhythm and slowing the sport down. I’ve added that to my sport.
“He said before, ‘you’ll grow into that position’. Because before, I was going so quick, attacking every action. Now I’m getting the balance just right.
“I am all the time attempting to reach within the field, that is the place the objectives are at. You get not less than 5 a season by arriving into the field late. So I have been engaged on all features of my sport within the midfield. Nonetheless a variety of enhance on, however I am having fun with that place.”
Pep: Foden can do whatever he wants
Speaking in his press conference afterwards, Guardiola said: “What can I say when he scored three objectives? I believe he didn’t begin nicely however the objective helped him so much with the temper. Everybody has their very own abilities and Phil has assists and objectives in that place.”
Asked about his potential, he added: “He can do no matter he desires. I believe he’s a very top-class participant. We all know it.
“He has to be focused, sometimes he is a bit distracted. But he has a natural talent a gift, a gift that is special. And, after, an incredible sense of goal. You have the feeling he is going to score. It is not easy to find it. That is why he is so special.”
Evaluation: Foden present raises Haaland query
This was gorgeous from Phil Foden. Two objectives from outdoors the field, together with his first Manchester Metropolis objective direct from a free-kick, the one from inside the world might need been probably the most image good of the lot, superbly positioned into the underside nook.
He was not credited with the help for the opening objective however he was its architect, splitting the Aston Villa defence to search out Jeremy Doku. It was a pleasure to observe him having fun with himself in that central position and with freedom to burst into the areas vacated by Julian Alvarez.
Pep Guardiola can be reluctant for the aftermath of this victory to morph right into a dialog about whether or not Metropolis are extra fluid with out their star ahead Erling Haaland, dropped to the bench for this 4-1 win. However it’s a authentic matter for debate given the efficiency.
Metropolis have gained six and drawn one of many seven Premier League video games that Haaland has not began this season. Maybe much more considerably, provided that they win a lot of the ones he performs too, they’ve scored not less than two objectives in every of these seven video games.
They common extra objectives per sport with out him than with him. And the sight of Foden, Bernardo Silva and Rico Lewis popping the ball round, made it straightforward to see why. This felt like Metropolis near their finest, how a Guardiola staff tends to look. With Foden at its coronary heart.
What’s subsequent?
Man Metropolis are again in motion on Saturday, travelling to Crystal Palace within the Premier League; kick-off 12.30pm.
Aston Villa play once more on Saturday within the Premier League, taking up Brentford; kick-off 3pm.