Key occasions
Gary has the definitive reply.
‘The place ought to Foden play for England’ @tahahash?
In Germany.
— Gary Naylor 85 (@garynaylor85) April 3, 2024
Ben Dunn writes in: “Do you play Stones in the identical method for England as Man Metropolis? Most likely not. Is he nearly as good within the England function as he’s for Metropolis? Not likely, no. Foden seems to be nice in his Metropolis function. There isn’t that function within the England crew. Is he nearly as good for England as for Metropolis? No.” So … the place would you play him, Ben?
Benjamin Park unpicks the Foden conundrum: “Doesn’t that query in the end rely upon who performs alongside Declan Rice. Striker Kane, proper wing Saka and ten Bellingham, these positions are set. Except you’d put him alongside Rice or as and eight subsequent to Bellingham, he must be on the left wing. Each of these preliminary choices, whereas I’ve to doubt he’d do a very good job, I really feel such as you’d lose greater than you achieve.”
FULL-TIME: Manchester Metropolis 4-1 Aston Villa
The present goes on. Phil Foden sparkled with a hat-trick and Villa couldn’t deal with the champions. Nobody is keen to slide up on this outstanding title race. Foden takes the match ball so as to add to a rising assortment.
90+3 min: Sergio Gómez drifts into the field and hits it first-time after a ball in from the left – he rattles the put up.
“Please don’t deliver Haaland on for the final minute,” pleads Crispin (and I’m certain many others). “It can screw with my fantasy factors complete.”
90+1 min: A deep nook practically lands on the foot of the sprinting Alex Moreno, however he can’t get on it to threaten the Metropolis purpose. Now we have 4 minutes of added time.
89 min: Akanji finds Grealish, who slides in a ball for Bobb, whose miscue contained in the field discovers Álvarez. He tries and tries, however he can’t beat Olsen – who has had a effective recreation for somebody who has conceded 4 targets.
86 min: We proceed, Metropolis cruising, Villa nonetheless hustling, everybody figuring out the top end result. In the meantime Michael Hunt asks: “All of us agreed I feel that Foden was the management group within the nice Sancho experiment of what would occur in case you left an enormous academy to get some first crew motion elsewhere. Off this will we conclude that, 300 trophies on the age of 23 or no matter later, folks ought to present no ambition, keep put (and hope that you just develop into a real generational expertise)?”
83 min: Bobb is proven off the ball by Digne, with Villa getting a goalkick.
“The place does Foden play ?” asks Ian Sargeant. “Forward of Henderson in additional methods than one……”
“Tonight is the evening when Man Metropolis drop out of the title race and with that their confidence to go away them with a trophy much less season,” writes James Roe. I’m presuming that e-mail was caught in his outbox for the final 90 minutes.
80 min: Off comes the excellent Foden, on comes Bobb. Doku will get a breather too.
79 min: Doku performs a beautiful ball down the fitting for Rico Lewis to seek out, and Foden has it as soon as once more, making an attempt to make it 4 (Jeremy, that’s insane).
78 min: Konsa goes down within the Metropolis field after colliding with Nunes, however no penalty given.
77 min: Zaniolo hops off for Villa, on comes Kellyman.
75 min: Kovacic and Matheus Nunes come on for Metropolis. Bernardo and Rodri depart.
74 min: Grealish sends in a scrumptious ball throughout the six-yard field … however there’s nobody there to tuck it in.
72 min: Cue the ‘The place ought to Foden play for England?’ dialog. Let’s hear you views, my folks.
Foden goes down within the D, doesn’t get a free-kick however finds the ball at his ft simply moments later in the identical area. This time he simply places his foot via it and into the highest nook previous Olsen, who’s statuesque – he ain’t saving it. Hat-trick for Phil Foden.
GOAL! Manchester Metropolis 3-1 Aston Villa (Foden 69)
Now that actually is ridiculous.
68 min: Metropolis are gunning for extra, with Rodri firing in a shot together with his left foot that’s blocked away.
67 min: Villa have made a raft of modifications by the way in which, bringing on Tielemans, Bailey and Chambers a couple of minutes in the past.
65 min: Rico Lewis sees the ball bounce up completely for him to hit contained in the field, however he fires broad.
It’s Foden’s purpose, however that is all about Rodri. The massive, hulking midfielder has some moderately silky ft, too, jinking previous gamers on the sting of the field earlier than laying the ball off for Foden. The left-footed end is delicate, into the underside nook, and certainly sufficient for the three factors.
GOAL! Manchester Metropolis 3-1 Aston Villa (Foden 62)
And it’s Foden as soon as once more!
61 min: Doku has house to run into and performs a one-two with Foden earlier than he’s compelled to retreat, Villa recovering their defensive form.
59 min: Terrific ft from Foden who practically skips via all the center, his mazy work ended by the ultimate outfield Villa shirt in entrance of him; Diego Carlos is his facet’s saving grace.
57 min: Doku slides in a move to Grealish who lastly decides to chop in and shoot … nevertheless it’s blocked by a Villa shirt.
56 min: Lenglet flicks on the header and Ortega saves effectively once more! The keeper is abruptly into motion and he’s doing a effective job for Metropolis.
55 min: Doku twists and turns however Villa break … and Ortega saves! Zaniolo performed a effective move to separate open Metropolis and Douglas Luiz ultimately discovered himself within the field with simply the keeper to beat. Ortega tipped it over for a nook.
53 min: Doku decides to have a go together with his left foot, nevertheless it’s straight at Olsen. McCoist, terrific on TNT, marvels on the pace of the winger’s ft.
51 min: Foden finds a pocket of house and slides in a ball to Lewis on the sting of the field, who tries to separate Villa open with a backheel. No cube.
50 min: Villa arrange camp, not permitting Doku to beat his man out on the fitting.
48 min: Digne thumps a cross in from the left for Villa however Ortega collects. Metropolis reply effectively, with Foden sliding in Bernardo for a shot within the field … Olsen makes himself huge to drag off a terrific save.
47 min: Iroegbunam does effectively to chop out a Metropolis move and Villa break ahead.
46 min: Away we go once more.
My half-time crew speak for Villa? Simply pump it lengthy, lads – give your man Durán an opportunity towards that prime Metropolis line. He’s proven he can take them.
I see issues are going effectively on the Emirates for Mikel’s boys. Not lengthy left there.
HALF-TIME: Manchester Metropolis 2-1 Aston Villa
Metropolis deservedly lead however Villa will probably be aggravated with themselves, having received again into the sport after a dominant begin from the hosts included an opener from Rodri. Durán, Villa’s goalscorer, has posed a menace on the uncommon event the ball has landed within the Metropolis half, however the champions stay in management due to Foden’s free-kick.
45+5 min: Metropolis want a 3rd earlier than the break, staying affected person earlier than a ball is stood up for Álvarez to go from shut vary. Olsen suggestions it over.
Foden steps up for the free-kick and curls it in, with Olsen barely shifting. Properly, that’s probably not the keeper’s fault – Villa’s wall broke open inbetween Konsa and Zaniolo, an area opening up for the Metropolis midfielder to comfortably discover the goal.
GOAL! Manchester Metropolis 2-1 Aston Villa (Foden 45+1)
They usually’re again in entrance.
45 min: Douglas Luiz, on a yellow, commits a foul on the sting of the Metropolis field. He introduced down Foden from behind however that’s certainly not one other yellow. The ref agrees with me.
44 min: Durán is again up and play goes on with Foden embarking on a mazy dribble into the Villa field … however Metropolis are pissed off as soon as once more, a free-kick given the opposite method.
43 min: Durán is clutching his head after colliding with Dias when making an attempt to get on the top of a protracted punt foward.
40 min: Foden twists and activates the sting of the field however is eliminated off the ball.
39 min: Álvarez shapes up for a shot … and hits it over the bar.
37 min: A high save from Olsen together with his proper foot towards Álvarez earlier than Grealish, driving ahead, wins a free-kick on the sting of the field. Luiz will get a yellow for hauling him down.
36 min: Grealish continues to chop in from the left and choose towards the shot … a lot to the annoyance of Ally McCoist on comms.
35 min: Durán does effectively to carry up the ball by the midway line however goes down too simply and the ref tells him to get again up.
34 min: Grealish cuts again to Bernardo within the field whose personal cross is blocked. Villa have each man behind the ball as Metropolis’s assaults are reduce out.
32 min: Grealish’s fury has price him: he receives a yellow card.
31 min: Grealish is livid after a foul is given towards him, with Douglas Luiz the person on the ground.
30 min: Doku is felled after a effective flip however no foul is given and Villa break. They’re compelled again by Metropolis’s retreat however a protracted ball finds Diaby on the fitting who can’t pick a teammate with a low cross.
