Is Phil Foden the best player in the Premier League? Pep Guardiola's star compared to Mohamed Salah, Bukayo Saka

Pep Guardiola has always combined carrot and stick when it comes to his long-time Manchester City starboy Phil Foden.

“I don’t have words. I would like to have the right words to describe what I saw. I’ve not seen something like I saw today for a long time. His performance was another level.”

Guardiola was speaking after Foden sparkled against Manchester United. Not his bravura two-goal showing against Erik ten Hag’s beleaguered Red Devils on Sunday, but after his first senior outing for City in a 2017 friendly in Houston, Texas.

The City manager has previously called Foden “the most, most talented player I have seen in my career as a manager”, with the caveat that Lionel Messi was already at a later stage of his development when he got his hands on the Barcelona icon.

Foden has also felt the sharp end of Guardiola’s tongue, the Catalan questioning his decision-making out of possession and whether he has the patience required to control the tempo when on the ball. 

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But after the 23-year-old’s Manchester derby masterpiece — illuminated by a thunderous long-range strike to equalise before a wonderfully crafted second gave City the lead for the first time with 10 minutes remaining  — there was almost an acknowledgement from Guardiola that Project Foden is close to completion.

Ever since he became a regular City starter in 2020, earning an England debut later that year, Foden has been frequently excellent. However, there is a sense of a rarely intuitive talent now putting all the pieces together and seeing the whole 360-degree picture through the lens of a complete footballing education under Guardiola.

“He always had the feeling to score goals, in the