6 hours ago
8
Phil Foden has revealed he has faced challenges “off the pitch mentally” this season and that an ankle injury sustained against Manchester United in April has hampered him and is not 100% healed.
The Manchester City forward has struggled to recapture last term’s impressive form that featured a career-high 27 goals and being voted the Professional Footballers’ Association players’ player of the year and the football writers’ player of the year. He has managed only 10 goals, has not scored since January and was only a 76th-minute replacement in Saturday’s 1-0 FA Cup final defeat by Crystal Palace.
Foden sustained ankle ligament damage when tackled by Casemiro during the goalless draw at Old Trafford on 6 April, being forced off on 57 minutes.
“It’s been difficult,” the 24-year-old said. “I picked up an ankle injury against United and it took time to heal before I could push myself back in training. A lot of people don’t know what football players have to go through and play with. I’ve had a lot of ankle pain and played with it in the last couple of months.
“It’s been a frustrating season. I’ve had a lot of things going on off the pitch mentally. Sometimes there’s things in life bigger than football. This season I’ve struggled a little bit. Hopefully come next year I can get my head mentally right, get back where I left the season before because I know what I’m capable of doing and the quality I have.”
Foden has been supported by City. “Definitely,” he said. “The club has been so supportive. I can’t thank them enough. I know if everything was OK [off the pitch] I’d definitely be better on the field. Sometimes things happen and you have to deal with it and move on. Now it’s about improving and getting back to my best. I know my standards and what I can reach.”
City fly to the US on 12 June for the Fifa Club World Cup. Foden was asked whether he would prefer a break.
“It’s obviously difficult because the lads are mentally drained from this season,” he said. “I believe everyone needs the right time to recover. There will be this competition. It’s going to be a funny one: some clubs will take it more seriously than others but I know we’ll definitely take it seriously.
“It’s going to be something new, I don’t know much about it; I’ve left it in the back of my head until the season’s finished. It will be somewhere I look at to get going for [next] season.”
after newsletter promotion
Foden suggested his ankle required further rest. “You need time for it to heal. I love to come back on the football pitch as soon as possible,” he said. “All I can see is I’m feeling a lot better now and can really push on with it.”
Foden is unsure whether he can rest before the Club World Cup. “It’s a difficult situation with the internationals right around the corner [early next month]. It’s something we have to speak about with the club and national team to see if it’s maybe better to rest and get my ankle fully 100% back.
“I just need a few weeks off without playing football and I can’t get it at the moment. It’s a bit frustrating to play with niggles like this.”
