Phil Foden’s future position at Man City depends on one missing ingredient

Foden was man of the match in a central midfield role against Leeds but may not play there again for a while

Manchester City midfielder Phil Foden (Getty Images)

After another of Leeds’ many panicked clearances upfield, Phil Foden retrieved possession out by the halfway line. His first touch not only killed the dropping ball dead but sent Daniel James out the ground for an ice cream. Kalvin Phillips was shown even less mercy, as a swift and nimble change of direction left his sliding challenge looking lame and desperate. Foden charged onward, escaping the advances of another two defenders, and was unfortunate to see a penetrative through ball blocked on its way into the penalty area.

It was the extraordinary piece of skill that Foden seems contractually obliged to produce at least once a game nowadays, like the frankly ridiculous first touch that caught Real Madrid and his own team-mates off guard in midweek. In that moment at Elland Road on Saturday, you were left in no doubt that you were watching the most technically gifted English player of his generation. Yet it was also an example of why he is not a central midfielder. Not yet, anyway.

Or at least that is Pep Guardiola’s opinion. The Manchester City manager trusted Foden as one of City’s nominal three midfielders at Elland Road as that allowed Kevin De Bruyne to rest ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League semi-final second leg in Madrid. It is not a position that Foden usually plays. This was the third time that he had taken up such a role during City’s league campaign this season but the first time that he has started there.