He was meant to take De Bruyne's crown. Instead, Foden's City career is flatlining

"With Manchester City leading Nottingham Forest 2-1, Foden lost Elliot Anderson, who ran off him and curled home a 20-yard equaliser. Sixty seconds later, Pep Guardiola substituted his England playmaker. As Morgan Gibbs-White's first equaliser could also be traced back to a loose Foden touch, this was a miserable evening for him."

"This is the latest evidence of Foden's form flatlining precisely when City need him for the business end of the campaign. Guardiola's side is not the sleek winning machine of the 2022-23 treble, nor the following term's record-breaking iteration that claimed a fourth consecutive title, but they are still chasing a historic quadruple."

"Foden, though, is peripheral. A shadow of the swashbuckling playmaker he can be, his inclusion in the XI on Wednesday was a surprise. Guardiola had benched him for the previous two league games and it was only his second start in the past seven Premier League matches."

Manchester City drew 2-2 with Nottingham Forest at the Etihad Stadium, with Phil Foden's defensive errors proving costly. Foden lost Elliot Anderson in the 76th minute, leading to an equalizer, and was substituted shortly after. His loose touch also contributed to Morgan Gibbs-White's earlier equalizer. This result allowed Arsenal to extend their Premier League advantage to seven points after winning at Brighton. Foden's form has declined significantly during a critical period of the season. Despite City's pursuit of a historic quadruple, including upcoming FA Cup, Champions League, and Carabao Cup commitments, Foden remains peripheral to the team's success. Manager Pep Guardiola defended his player, suggesting gradual improvement is expected.

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