'Unique' Phil Foden unlocks Crystal Palace to keep Man City in title hunt

Pep Guardiola hailed Phil Foden after the midfielder put on a star turn in Manchester City's 3-0 win over Crystal Palace, which keeps their Premier League title hopes alive. Foden made his first start in more than two months, and the 25-year-old showed why the club are working on a new contract with him as he set up goals from Antoine Semenyo and Omar Marmoush before Savinho sealed the win late on. The England international teed up Semenyo with a superb backheeled pass, before controlling a high ball for Marmoush to finish. Guardiola described Foden as a "unique" talent. “In these types of games, [against] a low block … you need quality, the spark, the talent, the vision, something,” Guardiola said. “It’s not in the tactical boards, it’s not in the meetings, it’s not in the videos, it’s not even the training. “[Foden] receives the ball in small spaces and creates something, like the good players, he can deliver and I’m really pleased for him. “We want [him] close to the box because Phil close to the box is unique.” This is a second consecutive season in which Foden has struggled to find his best form, but City retain huge faith in a player who has been so important to them since graduating from the academy. “It has to be a big role in the future and he has to deliver what he has done for many, many years,” Guardiola added. “He felt how people love him with the standing ovation for his actions. People want him to just be happy. “[He is a] box-to-box player with incredible attributes, otherwise he would not be here for many years, winning six [Premier Leagues] and the trophies we have done together.” Foden came into the side as one of six changes made by Guardiola with an eye on Saturday’s FA Cup final against Chelsea, but he got the result City needed to stay in touch with Arsenal in the league, while still giving the likes of Erling Haaland, Jeremy Doku and Rayan Cherki a rest. “In general it was really good against a team that could create problems,” he said. “Three goals against Brentford, three goals here, I cannot ask for more.” Victory moves City to within two points of leaders Arsenal with two games remaining. Palace had the ball in the City net inside two minutes but Jean-Philippe Mateta’s strike was ruled out with Brennan Johnson offside in the build-up, and from then on the visitors were decidedly second best, looking very much like a side whose eyes were already on the Conference League final. “We have to accept that City were too good for us,” boss Oliver Glasner said. “If you want to get a point here you need a top performance and we could not deliver today. “It was OK in some parts, not good enough in others. The second half was a bit better but today we were not in our top level.”