Phil Foden has been compared to Andres Iniesta after further enhancing his reputation with Manchester City last week.
The 21-year-old opened the scoring during the 7-0 thrashing of Leeds United during the midweek set of fixtures, and added an assist to boot for Nathan Ake’s late header.
Foden’s performance was enough to earn him a place in Garth Crooks’ team of the week, with the BBC pundit lauding the City youngster’s latest masterclass.
And the former Tottenham forward drew parallels with a Barcelona legend, citing Pep Guardiola’s influence in Foden’s progress as a player.
“I've compared Foden with Arsenal's Saka and Chelsea's Mason Mount in the past, both English players who are developing just as fast and every bit as good as the City player,” Crooks said.
“However, under Guardiola's influence I see a young Andres Iniesta emerging and the kind of player who, in time, will prove to be an extraordinary asset to City - if he isn't one already.
“Against Leeds he once again showed the capacity to complement the abilities of Bernardo Silva, Ilkay Gundogan or De Bruyne, which is a credit to the lad and the way he implements the instructions from his coach.”
Crooks’ team was dominated by City players, with four in total making his side after a week which saw them open up a three-point lead at the top of the Premier League.
Kevin De Bruyne was also included for his performance in the drubbing of Leeds, while Ruben Dias and Joao Cancelo earned their spots for their displays in the win over Newcastle United on Sunday.
Speaking about the 4-0 victory at St James’ Park, Crooks said: "This game was another masterclass by City. By the time they were 3-0 up, players in blue were queuing up to add to the scoreline.
“Being top at Christmas spells real danger for Liverpool and Chelsea.”
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