Phil Foden, though sidelined due to illness, made sure to cheer on his Manchester City teammates as they powered through a 4-1 comeback victory against Ipswich Town, reclaiming the top spot in the Premier League. This win marked City’s second triumph in as many games, both achieved without Foden in the starting lineup.
The newly crowned PFA Player of the Year had a disrupted preseason, largely due to England’s deep run to the Euro 2024 final, which left him on the bench for the opening game against Chelsea. His absence from the first home match of the season raised concerns among fans, with fears of a potential injury.
However, City confirmed that Foden’s absence was due to illness, not injury, easing concerns about another significant setback for the squad already dealing with injuries to Rodri, Oscar Bobb, and the early substitution of Mateo Kovacic.
Despite not being on the pitch, Foden showed his support from afar. After the match, he took to Instagram to celebrate the win, reposting the team’s full-time image on his story with the caption, “Go on lads 💪.”
As Foden looks to regain full fitness ahead of City’s upcoming match against West Ham, his absence is felt, particularly after his career-best season last year, where he racked up 19 goals and assists in the league. Meanwhile, Erling Haaland continued his stellar form, netting a hat-trick to ensure that Sammie Szmodic’s early goal for Ipswich was merely a blip in City’s dominant performance.
