Phil Foden eyes Man City milestone as Haaland seeks redemption against Bournemouth
Phil Foden is on the brink of making Manchester City history as Pep Guardiola’s side prepare to host Bournemouth in a crucial Premier League fixture at the Etihad Stadium.
The 25-year-old playmaker is set to become the youngest player in the club’s history to reach 200 Premier League appearances, needing only to step onto the pitch to achieve the milestone. At 25 years and 158 days, Foden would also become just the 15th player to hit the double-century mark for City in the top flight.
Guardiola praised Foden’s development and impact ahead of the match, calling it an honour to witness his journey.
With 62 goals and 28 assists in his 199 Premier League outings, Foden has been a consistent force for the Sky Blues. His record against Bournemouth is particularly impressive, with eight goal involvements in eight matches, five goals and three assists.
Manchester City, currently eighth in the table, trail leaders Arsenal by nine points following the Gunners’ 2-0 win over Burnley.
Bournemouth are surprisingly sitting second and are two points ahead of City, making Sunday’s clash a potential turning point in the title race. City come into the game buoyed by a 3-1 EFL Cup win over Swansea, where Foden featured off the bench.
While Foden has thrived against Bournemouth, Erling Haaland has found the Cherries a tougher nut to crack. The Norwegian striker has scored just once in 439 Premier League minutes against them, his second worst record against any opponent in the competition.
His only league goal against Bournemouth came in his debut season, and he has since gone four games without scoring against them in the top flight.
Haaland did find the net in last season’s FA Cup quarter-final win over Bournemouth, but he’ll be eager to improve his league record when they meet again.
