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Pep Guardiola understands Phil Foden’s rush to “win the world” but has urged the youngster to slow down.
Despite having a growing influence on the Manchester City side, the dynamic midfielder Foden has not started back-to-back games since October.
The 20-year-old has consistently impressed when he participated and his last appearance saw him score and set up another goal in Tuesday’s 4-1 Carabao Cup quarter-final loss to Arsenal.
However, even though this was expected to be the season that Foden became a regular after David Silva’s departure, manager Guardiola still feels his game has room for improvement.
The City boss said: “He has incredible energy for a 19, 20 year old but [in] Still, the final decision, the final pass, has to slow down a bit.
“He wants to win the world, he wants to eat the world and he wants to be important. That is normal, but you need experience to be calmer.
“He plays football with the same rhythm and football must be played with different rhythms. Sometimes you have to walk, sometimes you have to have a rhythm, sometimes you have to change the rhythm.
“You have to understand this but that [comes with] experience, not advice.
“It is not easy for a young player like him at this club, playing important games, and with the national team, but it is a normal process for all young players.
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“In the last third, especially in the area, the best players have patience, they have this second or half a second of time to make a decision. We have to improve this and we will work on that.”
Former Barcelona and Bayern Munich coach Guardiola has no doubt that Foden will reach the expected levels because he has the talent and the right attitude.
Guardiola said: “He is one of the most incredible players I have seen at that age.
“In the Barcelona quarry I trained players of that age who were incredible and who had long careers. They had the mentality that Phil has and that’s the most important thing.
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The highlights of the Carabao Cup quarter-finals between Arsenal and Man City.
“He has everything to play with us, we are in love with this boy. He has everything to become something unique and special.”
“The weird [thing] It would be to be 18, 19 years old and have nothing to improve. I want the best for him. I work with him and if he wants to improve he will achieve it, for sure “.
City are back in action with Newcastle on Boxing Day.
Pep Guardiola wants City to take advantage of their 1-0 win over Southampton last Saturday
Guardiola feels that it is important for his team’s title chances to win and start building momentum. City are undefeated in their last five games but, with two draws in that sequence, they are still eight points behind leaders Liverpool, although they are one game short.
Guardiola said: “We were ninth in the table last weekend, now we are eighth. We are still far from the top of the league, even though we have [played] one less game.
“We know what we have to do. If you want to be up there you have to start winning games and winning games, even if there are still a lot of games left for everyone to play.”
City take a quick lap with a trip to Everton on Monday, but Guardiola insists his team “is going to adapt, like every season, like all teams.”
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