MY ACCOUNT
Phil Foden was inspired by Lionel Messi in his assist for Jack Grealish at Peterborough United, according to the Manchester City goalscorer.
Foden assisted both goals in City’s 2-0 FA Cup win on Tuesday as they reached the quarter-finals of the competition for the fifth time in six seasons under Pep Guardiola.
A pass under pressure to Riyad Mahrez led to the breakthrough on the hour mark, but Foden’s ball for Grealish really caught the eye.
His pinpoint delivery was controlled expertly by Grealish, who finished calmly before revealing time spent watching clips of Paris Saint-Germain superstar Messi had helped the pair.
“[The pass was] unbelievable,” Grealish told ITV.
“It’s funny – before the game, on the coach on the way here, I sit next to Phil, and I was scrolling through Twitter and a video of Messi came up, and it was Messi’s passing. Me and Phil were just watching it.
“As soon as he passed that ball, obviously I scored and he came running over to me and said, ‘It was just like what we were watching before the game’. Just like Messi, wasn’t it?
“Obviously I have that kind of link-up with Phil. It’s been a long time coming, because I don’t think he’s assisted me yet, but it was a good moment for myself.”
The goal was Grealish’s first in the FA Cup and only his fourth in a City shirt, although Guardiola had spoken before the match of disregarding “the statistics” when it came to his £100million man.
That theme has clearly been consistent in conversations between player and coach, although Grealish finished with a game-high five chances created.
“I expect more,” he said. “I want to get a lot more, but I’ve been speaking with the manager a lot recently and he’s been helping me.
“I want to get goals and assists, but he has said to me it’s not all about goals and assists. I’ve played in a lot of big games this season that the manager’s trusted me in that I haven’t scored or assisted in, but I feel like I’ve done alright.
“For me personally, obviously I do want to get more goals and assists, but hopefully that will come now for the big part of the season.”
