Phil Foden is facing a race against time to be available for Manchester City’s FA Cup quarter-final against Liverpool after picking up an ankle injury during England’s 1-1 friendly draw with Uruguay at Wembley on Friday night.
The 25-year-old was forced off in the 56th minute following a heavy challenge from Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo that drew fury from England manager Thomas Tuchel and widespread condemnation given the nature of a pre-World Cup friendly.
Araujo won the ball but followed through at an alarming height on Foden’s ankle, evading a red card in circumstances that left Tuchel “furious on the touchline,” according to multiple reports.
“I’m worried, of course, because I think he was a difference-maker,” Tuchel said of Noni Madueke, who also went off injured on the same night, reflecting the broader concern around player welfare at this stage of the season. Cole Palmer came on as Foden’s replacement and immediately made an impact, creating Ben White’s goal from a corner as England appeared to be heading for a win before Federico Valverde’s injury-time penalty spared Uruguay’s blushes.
The timing could hardly be worse for Foden or for City. Pep Guardiola’s side return to action in roughly ten days with the FA Cup quarter-final against Liverpool at the Etihad, a fixture that sits at the heart of a brutal run-in featuring further Premier League clashes with Chelsea and Arsenal.
Foden told the press after the Carabao Cup final just days earlier that he was hoping to use the international break to get “back to where I was at the start of the season,” making the injury setback feel doubly cruel given his desire to rebuild momentum. “Football, sometimes, is not straightforward,” he said. “There are ups and downs and sometimes you can’t be the best version of yourself.”
For Guardiola, who has consistently spoken of his total faith in Foden — “I have zero, zero, zero doubts about Phil” — this is yet another curveball in what has been a turbulent season for one of the most talented players in the squad. Rayan Cherki, Omar Marmoush and Antoine Semenyo have all commanded more starts in attack in recent months, leaving Foden’s World Cup credentials under growing pressure. Araujo has since reached out directly to Foden and reported that he was told “it’s just part of the game,” which will offer some relief, but official assessments will be needed before City can confirm his availability.
