The match between Ipswich Town and Man City in round 22 of the Premier League was decided in the first half when the defending champions scored 3 goals against their opponents. Of those 3 goals, Phil Foden scored a double, the remaining goal was scored by Mateo Kovacic. In the second half, Jeremy Doku, Erling Haaland and James McAtee respectively sealed the score for the away team with a tennis set score.
Man City's victory over Ipswich was not a surprise given the stature of the two teams. However, Pep Guardiola still wanted his players to score many more goals despite leading 3-0 after 45 minutes. The Spanish coach needed a resounding victory to declare that the king is back.
After crushing West Ham 4-1 at home in Round 20, Man City continued to destroy Salford City in the FA Cup with a score of 8-0 in the FA Cup Round 3. On the rise for the return, The Citizens were held to a 2-2 draw by Brentford at Gtech Community. As doubts gradually returned, the crushing victory over Ipswich dispelled all.
The crushing victory over Ipswich will create a great psychological momentum for Pep Guardiola's team before they return to the UEFA Champions League. In the middle of this week, Man City will have a very difficult away trip to PSG's Parc des Princes. Then in 5 weeks, they will face Chelsea, Arsenal, Newcastle and Liverpool in the domestic arena. This is the time to decide whether Man City can successfully defend the title or not, or even defend a place in the Top 4 or not.
Returning to the man who scored the first two goals for Man City against Ipswich, Phil Foden, the English striker has gradually returned to his usual form after a period of stagnation recently. Last season, Foden was voted the best player in the Premier League by British journalists.
In recent times, his fluctuating form combined with illness has caused Foden to seemingly disappear completely from Man City's journey. Two goals against Ipswich have helped Foden have 5 goals in the last 3 matches. This is also the first time the 24-year-old star has scored in 3 consecutive matches for Man City since October 2022.
With Doku’s seemingly endless energy on the left, Foden was freed up to roam the right flank and make dangerous runs into the opposition’s centre. Both of his goals came from clever runs into central areas, finishing perfectly on Kevin De Bruyne’s passes.
In a broader sense, Foden’s six goals in his last seven games are a reminder of his importance to the Man City squad. If Pep wants to revive the team, he must give Foden an important role from now until the end of the season, as he has done for many years.
"He and I have spoken a lot in the last month. He is in a different state and form than he was at the start of the season. He had some personal issues a few months ago. But everyone has those moments and I completely understand that.
"My coaching staff and I are very happy to see Foden fit and playing well again. This is extremely important for Manchester City" - Pep Guardiola shared after the win over Ipswich.
