Foden’s Resurgence Fuels Manchester City’s Charge Against Struggling Ipswich

MANCHESTER, England — Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has praised Phil Foden‘s recent resurgence as the midfielder prepares to face Ipswich Town on Sunday. Foden, who scored both goals in City’s 2-2 draw with Brentford, has netted four times in his last five Premier League matches, silencing early-season concerns about his form.

“It is not bad how he is doing lately. His mood and his smile has to count,” Guardiola said. “In the first part of the year, I was a little concerned, and he was a bit more down. But sometimes you need to breathe and come back. His natural talent will do the rest.”

City, currently sixth in the Premier League, are on a five-match unbeaten streak across all competitions. However, their recent draw with Brentford highlighted defensive vulnerabilities, as they squandered a 2-0 lead late in the game. Guardiola’s side has dropped 14 points from winning positions this season, the most since the 2008-09 campaign.

Meanwhile, Ipswich Town, sitting just inside the relegation zone, are struggling to find consistency. A 2-0 defeat to Brighton on Thursday marked their third loss in five matches. Manager Kieran McKenna remains optimistic, citing the recent signings of Jaden Philogene and Ben Godfrey as potential boosts. “We’ll try to [do more business] if we can find quality that can improve us,” McKenna said. “Our depth is pretty good now, but if we can add quality, we’ll aim to do so.”

Ipswich’s Sammie Szmodics, who scored in the reverse fixture against City, will be a key player to watch. However, history favors Manchester City, who have won 20 of their last 21 Premier League games against promoted sides. Ipswich’s last home league win against City came in 2001, and they have not beaten a reigning champion since 1994.

According to Opta statistics, Manchester City have a 66.5% chance of winning, while Ipswich’s odds stand at 14.5%. A draw is predicted at 19%.