“I’ve only seen Lionel Messi better” - Ex-Manchester City academy chief makes emphatic claim about Phil Foden after derby win

Former Manchester City academy director Steve Eyre has compared Phil Foden to Lionel Messi following his exploits in the Manchester derby on Sunday, March 3.

Foden scored a brace and Erling Haaland netted a third as City secured a 3-1 victory over city-rivals Manchester United to get closer to league leaders Liverpool in the title race.

Steve Eyre credited Phil Foden's movement with the ball and applauded the work he has put in to make sure he has an edge over opposition defenders with his physicality. He believes that out of all quality players in the world, only Lionel Messi can rival Phil Foden's balance and movement on the field.

Speaking to talkSPORT, Steve Eyre was quoted as saying the following:

"There were so many players with world-class talent but I’ve only seen Lionel Messi better in terms of the balance which sets him apart. Now, his legs and hips have thickened up. He’s not so easy to knock off the ball but if he ever hits the ground he bounces straight back up."

He added:

“You’ve already got the receiving skills that he possesses, but now he’s got the know-how to use his arms and hips to avoid contact with defenders and basically glide towards goal and we can see when he gets within shooting distance."

Steve Eyre also credited Foden's character off the pitch despite achieving success so early in his career. He said:

“We shouldn’t forget that despite his trophy success he’s only 24, he lives a very balanced life and there’s no PR nonsense like you see from other teams and players.”

Comparisons to Lionel Messi are a huge compliment for Phil Foden who is currently having a stellar season with Manchester City. The England international has contributed 18 goals and 10 assists from 40 matches across all competitions.

Adding his brace against Manchester United, Foden has now scored 11 goals in the Premier League this season. This includes a hat-trick he scored against Brentford last month in a 3-1 win.

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How has Lionel Messi performed against Manchester City in his career?

Lionel Messi has faced some big European giants in his illustrious club career while representing the likes of Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).

Messi has faced against Manchester City eight times, all of them coming in the UEFA Champions League. Six of those games were while playing for Barcelona and the other two were played whilst donning the PSG shirt.

Lionel Messi has scored seven goals and provided three assists against Manchester City over the years. This includes a hat-trick he scored for Barcelona back in 2016 when his side won 4-0. He also provided an assist in that game.

Messi's last game against Manchester City came back in November 2021 when his PSG side suffered a 2-1 defeat at the Etihad Stadium in the Champions League group stage.