Sometimes a manager just knows. He doesn't have to look at the numbers, or canvass the room for supporting opinions. It is an innate sense; more than a common old hunch. Gut feeling is an upmarket guess. But Pep Guardiola wasn't guessing about Phil Foden.
He sat in his office after training on Friday and announced to his staff that Foden would be starting against Tottenham the next day. He wasn't asking their approval; he was telling them the call had been made. Foden was ready. This was his time. 'My inspiration,' Guardiola later called it, with a grin. 'It was a good decision — because we won.'
Indeed they did. And handily, Foden scored the only goal of the afternoon — his first in the league and a potential game-changer for Manchester City.
Teenager Phil Foden started in Manchester City's 1-0 win over Tottenham on Saturday
The January win over Liverpool at home aside, this is possibly the most important three points of the campaign. Having lost to Tottenham in such mind-blowing circumstances on Wednesday, all eyes were on City for their response. It is Liverpool who are said to have the momentum of champions right now. Could City restore their own impetus after such an emotional defeat?
That they did may serve as inspiration of a different kind as we reach the season's climax. Their next game is away at Manchester United — and who wouldn't be up for that? Win at Old Trafford and City will be three matches — Burnley away, Leicester at home, Brighton away — off the title. From here, motivation takes care of itself. Yet overcoming the mental and physical exhaustion of Wednesday could not, at first glance, be guaranteed.
Tottenham should have had a penalty when Kyle Walker handled in the second half while challenging Dele Alli.
Referee Michael Oliver clearly informed Alli that he was too close to Walker when the ball struck the right back's hand but that is not relevant. W
alker clearly moved his hand up to the ball. The situation happened so quickly for Oliver and I am sure that when he gets a chance to look at it again, he will accept that it’s a penalty.
When VAR is introduced next season, this kind of incident will be punished.
Make no mistake, this was an enormous result.
And Foden's presence was vital. Not just for the diving header that won the game but for the energy a teenage presence at the heart of the team provided. Guardiola deployed him in a central role, behind Sergio Aguero, always involved, always in a position to demand the ball. And Foden does.
He has the humility to talk about learning from every last one of his team-mates, but the confidence to play as if he fits right in. Their interaction with him is telling, too. When man of the match Bernardo Silva whipped in his cross for Aguero after five minutes, the striker spotted Foden's run and directed his header across goal rather than towards it. He trusted Foden to score, just as Guardiola trusted him to start. These are impressive judgments. Aguero wouldn't tee up a teenager who wasn't ready for such an occasion, no matter what position he took up; and Guardiola wouldn't throw Foden in without understanding he can expect patience from the player no longer. He wasn't gambling on an 18-year-old.
English midfielder Foden, 18, scored his first ever Premier League goal with a diving header
Touches in opposition box vs Spurs:
The 7.2 miles ran by Phil Foden in his 85 minutes against Spurs on Saturday was more than any City player.
He was giving a bona fide Manchester City player his due.
In 2011, when Guardiola's Barcelona played Arsenal in a Champions League last-16 tie, Jack Wilshere performed magnificently in the first leg. Before the return, Guardiola was asked if he had many young players like Arsenal's shining starlet at the Nou Camp.
