Enzo Maresca backed Phil Foden to play a key role in Manchester City’s season after watching him score a fine hat-trick in a 5-1 Champions League rout of AEK Athens.
Elliot Anderson scored his first goal in City colours and Rayan Cherki was also on the scoresheet with a moment of brilliance, but the night belonged to Foden.
The 26-year-old went into Saturday’s match against Ipswich without a goal since December after a second consecutive season in which he struggled for form and playing time, and ended with him sitting out the World Cup.
After being sent off in City’s derby win over Manchester United in September, Foden spent a month on the sidelines, but having scored in Saturday’s 3-2 victory over the Tractor Boys, City’s homegrown star showed flashes of his brilliant best with Wednesday night’s hat-trick.
“I’ve said since day one, I consider him one of the best English players,” Maresca said. “For different reasons in the last two or three years he was not good enough, but I know how good he is so I’m just trying to help him because we are sure he is going to help us this season.”
Foden’s first two goals were laid on by fellow academy graduate Rico Lewis, who then played a role in the third as another new boy from the youth ranks, Ryan McAidoo, got the assist.
It was a proud night for the academy. Seventeen-year-old forward Floyd Samba started in place of Erling Haaland, helping made this City’s youngest ever starting eleven for a Champions League match at an average of 24 years and 65 days, while McAidoo and Kaden Braithwaite, both 18, came off the bench.
“The three boys from the academy were all good, especially Floyd who played from the start, and the free-kick (that led to) the first goal, he was good in that action and overall he had a good game,” Maresca said.
“Ryan McAidoo made an impact immediately and also Kaden, so I’m very happy, it’s always a pleasure for me to give them some moments.
“And also from the academy Phil scored a hat-trick, so I think it was good, and then at the same time we had a chance to give a rest to the players who are playing every game since day one.”
Haaland was among the substitutes but never even got as far as warming up, enjoying a night off after suffering an injury scare against Ipswich, with Maresca insisting the Norwegian would be fine for Saturday’s trip to Aston Villa.
A week ago City and Maresca suffered their first defeat since the Community Shield loss to Arsenal when they went down 4-2 at home to European champions Paris St Germain, played off the park in the first half, but Maresca has been pleased with the response.
“After the PSG defeat we had Ipswich at home and AEK Athens tonight at home, two games that we needed to win,” he said. “It’s not easy, always complicated after a defeat immediately to win again.
“We did that, we are happy with that, but for sure since we started, probably the game I learned more has been the PSG game. Sometimes a defeat can be good, you see things and learn many things.”
