Liverpool are benefiting from going under radar – Manchester City’s Phil Foden

Manchester City forward Phil Foden has not been surprised by Liverpool’s emergence as title rivals this season but believes they have benefited from being under less scrutiny.

Pep Guardiola’s City head into Sunday’s showdown at Anfield eight points behind Arne Slot’s side, with the Dutchman impressing everyone by how he has seamlessly taken over from Jurgen Klopp and guided the team to the top of the table.

That has left an out-of-form City, Arsenal, Chelsea and Brighton (all nine behind) trailing in their wake.

But Foden said Liverpool’s pedigree meant it should not really be a surprise.

“It’s not surprised me personally how good Liverpool are,” he told the PA news agency at a McDonald’s Fun Football event.

“This season they have gone under the radar in terms of a lot of people were talking about City and Arsenal fighting for the title and not so much talked about Liverpool, so I think that’s helped them in a way, they’ve had less pressure on their shoulders.

“They have done really well but I knew Liverpool were always going to be up there challenging for the title with the squad they have.

“There is still a long way to go and we know how quickly it can change.

“There are teams that no-one is speaking about, like Chelsea. I feel like this season there are more teams look like they are challenging for the title.

“We will see what happens but it is tight at the top between us all. It’s going to be an exciting season.”

The situation is not that unfamiliar for City: in mid-December 2020 they were eight points adrift of leaders Liverpool, having played one match fewer, yet went on to finish top of the table, 17 points clear of the third-placed Reds.

And despite their recent blip of five defeats and a draw in six matches, Foden, who incredibly has experienced 12 percent of all his Premier League defeats in the last month, remains confident they can bounce back and reel in their rivals.

“It just shows that the blip we’ve had, every team can have. It shows football can be a crazy sport sometimes,” said the England international.

“I think we have showed in the past maybe we start a little slow but get it together in the second half of the season.

“Obviously that’s not the aim every year but we seem to have a little blip again right now, so football is about reacting and there is always a next game around the corner.

“We know it could have gone a lot different. It’s football and it happens.

“We are forever grateful for what we have won in the past, so this is the challenge now – every team wants to beat Man City, so it’s about facing the challenge and finding new ways to create things and score goals.

“You can’t dwell on the past, you have to look forward to the future.”

:: Phil Foden was celebrating the latest free wave of McDonald’s Fun Football sessions this autumn, available to all children aged five to 11 across the UK. Sign up now for your nearest free session at mcdonalds.co.uk/football