Italian manager Enzo Marisca of Manchester City confirmed that helping Phil Foden regain his levels represents part of his responsibilities, after the player ended his long goal drought. Marisca said at a press conference on Thursday: "Since the beginning of my work, I sat with Phil two or three times, especially in the initial period, just to show how important he is to us."
The Italian manager added: "I have said many times that I have known Phil for years, and therefore I realize that for various reasons, the past few years were not at the required level." He pointed out that developing players like Foden leads to team development, considering it his duty to help him regain his status as one of the best players in England.
Foden returns to scoring after 10 months
Foden scored a goal in City's 3-2 win over Ipswich Town at the end of last week, after 10 months without scoring. He then scored a hat-trick in the Champions League during the 5-1 win over AEK Athens on Tuesday. The 26-year-old player had won the English Premier League's best player award for the 2023-2024 season after scoring 27 goals, but suffered health and psychological problems that affected his performance in the past two seasons.
Marisca's strong start amid threats
Marisca achieved a strong start succeeding Pep Guardiola, becoming the first manager in the English Premier League to win in his first seven matches with a new club. However, threats loom of imposing strict sanctions on the club due to accusations of widespread financial violations. City is likely to face a significant points deduction, possibly even relegation, if the ruling condemning him on more than 100 charges is not overturned.
Positive atmosphere and Haaland's return
Marisca clarified that the atmosphere in the dressing room is positive despite the pressures, noting that returning to competition takes time after last summer's changes. City will host Aston Villa on Saturday, bolstered by the return of Norwegian Erling Haaland, who scored 12 goals in nine matches, after missing the AEK Athens match due to a foot injury.
Source: Arriyadiyah newspaper
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