Phil Foden’s brilliant hat-trick goal against Aston Villa draws comparisons to a Wayne Rooney classic from Man City team-mate Jack Grealish and pundit Rio Ferdinand
Phil Foden‘s stunning goal that sealed his hat-trick in Manchester City’s 4-1 win over Aston Villa has drawn comparisons to a similar Wayne Rooney strike in 2005.
The Man City star went down under a challenge just outside the penalty box, but got back on his feet to win the ball back before unleashing a thunderous left-footed strike that flew into the top right corner past a motionless Robin Olsen.
It has drawn comparisons to Rooney’s goal for Manchester United in 2005, where he nabbed one of his best strikes for the Red Devils with an angry volley against Newcastle, moments after arguing with the matchday referee – which he declared to be the best goal he had ever scored.
In his post-match interview with TNT Sports, host Laura Woods told Foden that her colleagues Rio Ferdinand and Joleon Lescott were loudly encouraging of the City star.
Woods said: ‘Every time you got the ball, these two were screaming Iniesta constantly. It was very embarrassing sitting next to them.
Manchester City’s Phil Foden completed his hat-trick against Aston Villa with a stunning strike
It was compared to Wayne Rooney’s fierce volley for Man United against Newcastle in 2005
‘The third goal, especially. We were chatting about this a second ago. Rio was saying it was almost like your Wayne Rooney moment, that something doesn’t go right, you get angry, and you bang in a goal.’
Foden replied, saying: ‘You know it’s funny you said that because as I was celebrating I was walking with Jackie [Grealish], he also said about the Wayne Rooney goal, said “that’s what it reminded me of”.’
Later on, Ferdinand revealed: ‘I ask Joleon a lot of questions, Joleon was at the club when Phil was coming through, and you always tell me about how he’s obsessed with football, improving the little details of the game. And you can sense that when you’re talking to him, can’t you?’
Lescott added: ‘Definitely. That is probably the biggest standout factor to fulfill in that.
‘Like, we know Wayne Rooney. And I speak highly of Wayne. And he’s probably the first player I came across that needed to win more than I thought I needed to win.
‘But Phil Foden took that to a whole new echelon. The obsession with just having a ball at his feet, walking around hotels walking around the training ground.
‘Again, I’ve worked with him at the under-21s with England, and we had to ban extra sessions after training because you couldn’t get him off the pitch.
‘He just wants to work on his technique and put himself in scenarios – game scenarios – and just develop.’
Foden’s stunning strike from just outside the area was his 21st club goal in all competitions
Jack Grealish told Foden his goal reminded him of Rooney as they celebrated the night’s fourth
It was Foden’s 21st goal for Manchester City this season across all competitions, and the England international left the field to raucous applause and a standing ovation when he was substituted.
Despite Wednesday’s win, Pep Guardiola’s side are still third in the Premier League table, equal on points with Liverpool, who play on Thursday, and a point behind Arsenal, who beat Luton Town 2-0.
