Phil Foden: Man City can’t take foot off the gas after going eight points clear

Phil Foden has warned Manchester City’s title rivals they are going to keep their foot on the gas after pulling eight points clear at the top of the Premier League.

While Liverpool and Chelsea slipped up after Christmas, Foden’s goal made it 10 league wins on the spin for City as they edged past Brentford 1-0.

“It was an important win,” Foden told City’s website. “Brentford made it really difficult, they are a physical team, very dangerous off set pieces so we had to keep going until the final whistle and I’m proud of the team for doing that.

“Around Christmas time, you can’t take your foot off the gas, you have to keep going and remain focused which this team is doing at the moment and you can see we are getting lots of points.

“It is the most challenging league in the world and it just goes to show that you can drop points at any time.

“The team is remaining focused at the moment and playing really well so I am happy.”

The winning goal arrived in the 16th minute, Kevin De Bruyne whipping in a first-time cross from the right which Foden expertly guided home with his in-step.

After the interval Foden and Aymeric Laporte both had the ball in the net but were pulled up for offside, while De Bruyne hit the near post with a skidding effort from the edge of the area.

Yet Brentford’s had their chances too, notably when Joao Cancelo had to clear Yoane Wissa’s shot off the line.

Their performance, all the more impressive given they were without 11 first-team players, capped off a memorable 2021 for the Premier League new boys.

Bees boss Thomas Frank said: “It’s been an incredible 2021, but I always want more, so we’ll see if we can make it better in 2022.

“I think it will be difficult, of course, because of the promotion – the first time in 74 years – a fantastic start to the Premier League and some memorable moments.

“It’s been a fantastic journey so far, but we’ve only just started.”