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Ammon News - Pep Guardiola labelled ‘world class’ Phil Foden the Premier League’s finest player this season after his brace settled Sunday's Manchester derby.

A 3-1 victory took Manchester City back within a point of leaders Liverpool ahead of next Sunday’s tantalising trip to Anfield, battling to win from behind after Marcus Rashford’s early stunner.

Erling Haaland added the third against Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United but Foden took the plaudits as the academy product moved his season tally to 18 goals – the most productive campaign of his career.

‘Right now, he is the best (in the league),’ Guardiola said. ‘To be world class you have to win games. He’s winning games. Always he scored goals but now he’s winning games. When you do this you reach another level as a player.

‘He will already be a legendary player because at his age, the games played, the minutes, the goals scored, the titles won and he is from here and that is why the connection with the fans is unbelievable.

‘He is the player of the season. With all respect for the incredible players but no-one has been so decisive for us as him this season.’

City’s stars nickname Foden ‘the sniper’ but it was his overall all-action display will have impressed the watching Gareth Southgate, with further calls for the England team to be built around the 23-year-old.

Guardiola believes he is witnessing a midfielder that has now learned how to dictate games at the highest level.

‘When he started, he was always aggressive around the goal and dribbles but now he is more mature and understands defensively,’ the City boss added. ‘It’s with what he has to do and he understands the games better.

‘Did you see the three or four actions from Phil coming back to win the balls and recover? He's a winning player and this is the mentality we still have. It’s why he's becoming a really important player for us and for the national team.’

Foden said: ‘It’s my aim to turn up in the big games. That’s what I want to do and this season I think I’ve done that. I just need to keep working hard.’

Guardiola also praised Haaland for his mentality after the Norwegian bounced back from one of the worst misses of the season to seal the points late on.

‘The reaction… he smiles, resets and onto the next,’ Guardiola said. ‘The great players I’ve met - and I’ve been fortunate to handle some - have this incredible ability to forget in an instant.

‘It’s painful but forget as quickly as possible. They miss, he misses, everybody misses. Smile, positive, go for it. That defines the good players.'

Daily Mail