Phil Foden sat quietly after the final whistle, replaying in his mind the moment Manchester City’s lead slipped away at Brentford. Two goals from him had put his team in control, yet within minutes, they conceded twice.
The match finished 2–2. At full time, he spoke with unexpected bluntness. “The title? Yeah, yeah, it’s done for sure, it’s done,” he said. “We know. We’re not stupid.” Those words offered a window into his frustration and into a season that hasn’t gone according to plan.
City, now in sixth place, are 12 points behind Liverpool. They’ve stuttered in ways fans have rarely seen. Foden, just 24, admits this is uncharted territory. He’s grown used to celebrating titles with his boyhood club. Now he’s grappling with a new reality. “It’s a learning curve. I’ve not been in this situation before where I’ve lost this many games,” he said. “We’ve got to aim for top four, that’s the next target now, and then obviously Champions League as well.”
Shifting the target to the top four
City have won four league titles in a row. They’ve been the standard others sought to match. Foden believes the team’s dominance has made them a marked target, one every opponent desperately wants to beat. “We’ve been the best in the last few seasons, and when we face opponents we can just see how up for it they are,” he explained. “We have to try and match that, if not better it, and we’re coming up short.”
Still, he clings to hope. He refuses to see this campaign as a lost cause. He wants City to use every setback as motivation, especially with Champions League commitments on the horizon. “It’s not as if the season has gone,” he said. “It’s about getting back on the training pitch and having that belief, to keep going, don’t give up.”
He’s only ever known life at the pinnacle of English football, but that’s what makes his candor resonate. Admitting defeat in the title race might sting, yet it reveals a desire to confront problems head-on, a quality City will need if they hope to reclaim their place at the top. Foden stands ready to play his part, eager to ensure this difficult chapter will lay the groundwork for a better tomorrow.
