Phil Foden's Comeback Under Enzo Maresca
Phil Foden has heard the doubts. He knows exactly how far his stock has fallen since he was crowned 2023-24 Player of the Year. Two flat seasons, a slide in form, and then the ultimate jolt: losing his place in Thomas Tuchel's England squad for the 2026 World Cup.
Now he is trying to write a different story.
A Different Foden
Under Enzo Maresca, the 26-year-old is fighting to revive his Manchester City career. The new head coach has seen a change up close, long before a ball was kicked in anger.
From day one of pre-season, Maresca says, Foden has looked like a different footballer.
"I think Phil had a good game against Arsenal in the last game. He has been sharp and good since day one," Maresca said, reflecting on the Community Shield defeat at the Principality Stadium, where Foden started and played an hour in a 3-0 loss to Arsenal.
The result was grim. Foden’s performance was not. Inside City, staff have noticed.
"He looks very, very good and people inside the building are saying that, compared to the last one or two years, Phil is a completely different player in terms of mood, in terms of what he is showing in the sessions," Maresca added. "This is what we want. Phil is from the academy, from the house, so it is nice for everyone to see him getting better and better."
Sharper in training. Livelier around the place. A reset in attitude and intensity. After two seasons that drifted, Foden has chosen confrontation over comfort.
Cherki, Competition and a New Hierarchy
His substitution on the hour against Arsenal, replaced by Rayan Cherki, sparked a familiar debate. One of them, surely, would end up as the odd man out.
The narrative wrote itself: one starting berth, two gifted playmakers.
Maresca is not buying that version.
"They can play together – in different positions – but for sure they are quite similar," the Italian said. "At the end, if you want to build an important team, you need competition inside the team. So it's good that Phil and Rayan have that competition, but they can also play together in some games."
That is the challenge now for Foden. Not just to win his place back, but to thrive in a squad where £116 million signings arrive and nobody is guaranteed anything. Not even the local hero.
Life After Pep
All of this is unfolding against the backdrop of something City have not experienced for more than a decade: a season without Pep Guardiola.
For the first time since 2015-16, someone else leads City into a Premier League campaign. Maresca is not shying away from the weight of that inheritance.
"I'm very excited to start this new chapter, this new journey," he said. "The target is to carry on from the last 10-15 years."
That is the standard. Titles, records, relentlessness. And history offers Maresca a small but intriguing target of his own: each of City's last four permanent managers has won their opening league game in charge. He has no intention of breaking that run.
Bournemouth, Anderson and an Early Statement
City open their 2026-27 Premier League season on Sunday at the Etihad Stadium against Bournemouth. The champions of recent years are now a team in transition, but expectations have not dipped.
The match could bring a first competitive home appearance for Elliot Anderson, the £116 million summer arrival, whose price tag alone demands attention. Jeremy Doku will not feature, ruled out with a calf problem, which nudges the spotlight even more firmly onto the creative players who are available.
Foden is right in the middle of that picture.
A new manager. A new tactical map. A new rival in Cherki. And a new mood that has impressed those who see him every day.
The stage is set. Now Foden has to prove this version of himself is not just a pre-season story, but the start of a genuine comeback.
