Foden can strike right at heart of Liverpool weakness

Adrian Clarke looks at key tactical points and players who can be decisive in Matchweek 11.

Phil Foden (MCI)

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All the pre-match noise will be around how Liverpool can stop Erling Haaland this Sunday, but Jurgen Klopp will know that Phil Foden also poses a huge threat to his vulnerable Liverpool team.

The 22-year-old Manchester City midfielder has scored in both his Premier League trips to Anfield, and will travel to Merseyside in terrific form.

Backing up his recent hat-trick in the 6-3 win over Manchester United with another goal in the 4-1 home victory over Southampton, Foden has nine direct goal involvements this season.

His team-mates Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne are the only Premier League players with more.

Direct goal involvements 2022/23

Exploiting Liverpool’s red zone

Liverpool’s opponents have targeted their right side this season, creating regular overloads around right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Last weekend, Arsenal took this approach, even when Joe Gomez replaced the injured Alexander-Arnold at half-time.

Foden is likely to start on the left of City’s front three but, as always, will slip inside to join in as a No 10 or a second striker when Pep Guardiola’s side are on the front foot.

He is outstanding at making well-timed runs into the penalty area, successfully getting on to the end of through-balls and cutbacks in recent matches.

Usually, he is at his best when arriving to the left of centre inside the area, the same domain where Liverpool have had major issues throughout the campaign.

Where Liverpool concede & Foden scores

For this reason, the communication between Gomez and Liverpool’s right-sided central defender, Joel Matip or Ibrahima Konate, will be absolutely crucial for the home side.

If they leave Foden untracked, he has the talent to apply another deadly finish. 

An efficient relationship with Haaland

Between them Haaland and Foden have scored 21 goals and provided six assists, but the pair do not combine on a prolific basis. Indeed, it is the exact opposite.

Since the start of the season Foden has found Haaland with only 12 passes, and only 17 have been delivered in the other direction.

Instead, the duo come alive in the moments that matter.

When opponents are stretched by a City attack, Haaland and Foden work beautifully with one another to apply the finishing touch.

A good example was Haaland’s two fabulous assists for Foden in the Manchester derby.

Remarkably, half of Foden’s passes to Haaland have made a chance, and almost 30 per cent of Haaland’s balls to Foden have been key passes, too.

When they link up it often produces quality end product.

Haaland/Foden link-up play

Year-on-year improvement

The departures of Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus last summer increased Foden’s prospects of securing regular game time and he has capitalised on that in the early weeks of the season.

Using his ever-growing game intelligence and spatial awareness to good effect, Foden is learning how to time his runs even better than he did before.

Foden’s growing influence

When you study his improved conversion rate and minutes-per-goal ratio with past seasons it is clear Foden is busy making another progressive step forward.

Liverpool know all about Foden’s quality, but stopping him from impacting this high-stakes duel will not be easy.