Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola ready to hand teen star Phil Foden debut against Feyenoord
Etihad chief plans to make wholesale changes against Dutch club tonight, with a Champions League last-16 spot already secured
PEP GUARDIOLA has put England Under-17 hero Phil Foden on stand-by for his Manchester City debut.
The Etihad chief plans to make wholesale changes against Feyenoord tonight, with a Champions League last-16 spot already secured.
And he is convinced the World Cup winner — along with Spanish kid Brahim Diaz — will have no fear if they get the nod.
Fans are keen to see the Stockport-born 17-year-old Foden, who was a boyhood City fan, make the step up.
And with 12 games across three competitions in the next 42 days, Guardiola plans to give him a chance between now and the New Year.
Guardiola said: “I said in pre-season those guys will train with us all season.
“They have to have the quality to train with us. It’s not just to have fun or be gentle. They are there because they have a chance to play.
“From what I saw of him and Brahim in pre-season, the training, in the World Cup, they are ready. Otherwise they would not be training every day with us.
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“Now if they play or don’t play depends on my decision. But they have to be ready because sometimes the manager makes surprises!”
City midfielder Foden was one of the shining lights as the U17s went all the way to lift the World Cup in India last month.
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He was also named Player of the Tournament after a string of impressive displays.
And Guardiola believes that experience will be invaluable. He said: “We believe the World Cup is perfect for his next step. Of course, playing the quarter-final, semi-final, final, is better than training or playing in the second team or playing 15 or 20 minutes with us.
“We have to protect them, though. We cannot expect Phil and Brahim to go out there and be important players to win titles.
“They have to join us and help us. It’s all steps.”
City striker Sergio Aguero is likely to start having sat out the 2-0 win at Leicester on Saturday.
But coach Guardiola has admitted he is unlikely to play both the Argentine and Gabriel Jesus up front together in the near future.
Guardiola played both in the opening weeks of the season.
But he said: “Yeah, in that moment we had Benjamin Mendy. When you have Mendy, he can play wide and the winger can go inside.
“But Fabian Delph cannot do that.
“Without Mendy, Sane has to go wide — which is why they don’t play together. But for me it’s the toughest decision over Sergio and Gabriel as they both deserve to play.”
Mendy is making good progress after the cruciate knee ligament injury he picked up in September.
But for now it seems Aguero or Jesus will miss out.
MANCHESTER CITY (likely line-up): Bravo, Walker, Otamendi, Mangala, Danilo, Toure, Gundogan, B Silva, Foden, Brahim, Aguero
