‘Say thanks to Pep’ – Man City Fans react as Gareth Southgate lauds ‘fabulously exciting’ Foden’s display

Gareth Southgate believes it is “fabulously exciting” to see what Phil Foden can do in an England shirt after he starred in the comfortable World Cup qualifying win over Andorra.

The Manchester City forward may not have got on the scoresheet in the 5-0 victory but put in an eye-catching display at the Estadi Nacional.

The 21-year-old played in a deep-lying playmaker role as part of a central midfield three, and ran the show as the Three Lions cruised, as expected, to a routine win at the Estadi Nacional.

“Frankly he is one of those players who is effective anywhere across the front line if you play him 7, 11, 10, 8, ‘ the England manager said to the media after the final whistle.

“A traditional 4-3-3 midfield with a 6, 8, 10, if he was the 10 within that but with the capability to drop lower and build the play at times, as he did tonight, I think part of that is just as he gets stronger as well and part of that is the balance of the type of player who might play as the 8 with those qualities.

“But it’s fabulously exciting, isn’t it, when you’re trying to break down a defence, as we have tonight, and you have a player who sees the passes that he sees and hits them and executes them in the way he did.”

These Gareth Southgate’s comment on Foden has prompt Plenty of Sky Blues to react on social media.

Say thanks to Pep pal

— JohnnySZN (@4midables_mcfc) October 10, 2021

He’s a freakin wizard bro 💪🏻💫😤

— Agent P💙🤍🇯🇲 (@Perrydan9) October 10, 2021

Beast mode activated.

— 𝑳𝑶𝒀𝑨𝑳𝑻𝒀_𝑴𝑪𝑭𝑪✍︎✰ (@Loyalty_254) October 10, 2021

this is why pep play him on the left so when he put him in the middle he knows the feel and sees the passes

— Sa8 (@Sa8_City) October 10, 2021

make sure u start him then 👍

— 🧚‍♀️ (@nxomimcfc) October 10, 2021