Maresca reveals talks with Foden after four goals in two Manchester City games

Enzo Maresca has revealed that he held several private conversations with Phil Foden to reinforce the midfielder's importance at Manchester City, as the 26-year-old responds with four goals in his past two games. According to the Guardian, Maresca said the discussions were part of his effort to help Foden recover his best form after two difficult years.

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The City manager said he had sat down with Foden two or three times since taking charge, with particular attention paid to the beginning of their work together. Maresca already knew the player from his time as an assistant to Pep Guardiola. He explained that the conversations were intended to make clear how highly he valued Foden and the ability he had seen in him previously.

Foden's recent scoring run follows a period in which he struggled to reproduce the performances that earned him the Professional Footballers' Association player of the year award for 2023-24. Maresca acknowledged that the midfielder had fallen below his best for different reasons. He described helping Foden become one of England's leading players again as part of his responsibility, linking individual development directly to improving the team.

Despite the goals, Maresca cautioned against judging progress on a single performance, stressing that the season remained long. Foden also faces competition for City's attacking positions, including from Rayan Cherki. The Guardian reported that Maresca has rated Cherki among Europe's best players, underlining the strength of the alternatives available as Foden works to maintain his place in the side.

City have won their first seven Premier League matches under Maresca and lead the table by three points. Their only competitive defeat during his tenure has come against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League. They beat AEK Athens in the same competition on Wednesday, with Erling Haaland remaining on the bench.

Haaland is fit, the report said, while the availability of Matheus Nunes, Mateo Kovacic and Nico O'Reilly remained unresolved after they missed the AEK match. Maresca described a positive mood within the squad but said the players remained eager to add more victories to their strong start.