Manchester City has faced a tumultuous season, with their struggles particularly evident in their recent Champions League encounter against Real Madrid. This dramatic match ended in a heartbreaking 3-2 defeat for the Sky Blues, despite them being in a strong position, leading 2-1 with less than five minutes to go. The match, which initially seemed set to end with a statement victory for Manchester City over the reigning European champions, Real Madrid, instead became yet another example of their struggles in crucial moments this season.
The game seemed to be within City’s grasp when Erling Haaland, who had been in exceptional form, put them ahead with two goals. His first goal came from an expertly executed strike following a brilliant assist from Joško Gvardiol. Haaland’s second was a penalty, which restored City’s lead after they had allowed Madrid to equalize. With just a few minutes left, it seemed that Manchester City would secure a much-needed victory. However, the match took an unfortunate turn when a poor kick-out from goalkeeper Ederson led to a Real Madrid equalizer. The equalizing goal left the Manchester City defense shaken, and in the dying seconds of the game, a defensive lapse allowed Jude Bellingham to score a dramatic last-minute winner for Madrid, silencing the Etihad Stadium and leaving Manchester City players and supporters in disbelief.
This loss against Real Madrid marked the fifth time this season that Manchester City had lost a match in which they had been in a winning position. This statistic is especially concerning because it matches the total number of such defeats the team experienced over the previous four seasons combined. It is clear that Manchester City, under Pep Guardiola, has been unable to maintain its composure and finish off games when they are in control, an issue that has been haunting the team throughout the current season. Despite their constant success in the Champions League over the past seven seasons, it now appears that their hopes of continuing that streak are in serious jeopardy. Ahead of the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie against Real Madrid, a trip to the Bernabéu, Manchester City faces a challenging task if they are to overcome the Spanish giants.
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As Manchester City’s struggles continue to unfold on the pitch, attention has shifted to the players Pep Guardiola has allowed to leave the club in recent years. Many of these players, who were once seen as surplus to requirements or not able to break into the first team, have since gone on to achieve success elsewhere, leading many to question whether Manchester City’s decision to let them go was a mistake. Among these players, one name stands out as a particularly poignant example of what might have been for City: Phil Foden.
Phil Foden, once regarded as one of the brightest talents in English football and a key figure in Manchester City’s future, is currently enduring a difficult period in his career. Foden’s rise to prominence within the club had been meteoric. In the 2022/23 season, he was awarded both the PFA Player of the Year and the Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year awards, a clear indication of his immense potential and his importance to the City squad. His ability to influence matches and his technical skills made him a standout player for Manchester City, and many thought he could go on to become one of the best English players in history.
However, this season, Foden has been far from his best. His form has dropped off significantly, with a noticeable decline in both his goal-scoring and assist-making abilities. Against Real Madrid, Foden started the game on the bench, a position that was unusual for a player who had been one of the first names on the team sheet in previous seasons. Foden was introduced in the 30th minute of the match, and while he did win a late penalty after being fouled by Dani Ceballos, his overall performance was underwhelming. This is not the first time this season that Foden has struggled to find his rhythm, and it raises concerns about his ability to maintain the high standards that were expected of him.
A closer look at Foden’s statistics this season compared to the previous three campaigns reveals just how much his form has dipped. In the 2021/22 season, Foden played 45 matches and contributed 0.40 goals per 90 minutes and 0.31 assists per 90. In the following season, 2022/23, his goals per 90 increased to 0.51, but his assists per 90 dropped to 0.27. This season, 2023/24, his goals per 90 have decreased to 0.41, and his assists per 90 have fallen further to 0.21. This drop in his attacking output is evident when you look at his shots on target and his take-on success percentage, both of which have also declined compared to previous years. Foden himself has attributed some of his struggles to burnout and a series of niggling injuries that he has been dealing with, stemming from a heavy workload for both his club and his country.
While Foden’s situation is concerning, it is important to remember that he is still young and has plenty of time to rediscover his best form. Nevertheless, his struggles this season have been highlighted even more by the performances of another player who once had a similar future at Manchester City but was allowed to leave the club: Morgan Rogers.
Morgan Rogers is a name that many Manchester City fans may not be familiar with, but he has emerged as one of the most exciting young talents in the Premier League. Rogers, who was once part of Manchester City’s academy, has had a somewhat unusual career path, moving between various clubs before finding a home at Aston Villa. After a successful spell at Middlesbrough, where he impressed with his performances, Rogers was bought by Aston Villa for £15 million just over a year ago. Since his arrival at Villa, Rogers has quickly become one of the standout performers in the Premier League, earning widespread praise for his technical ability, work rate, and versatility in midfield.
Rogers has even made history in the Champions League, becoming the first player to score twice in the opening five minutes of a match, a feat he achieved in January against Celtic. His performances have been so impressive that he has been likened to one of the greatest English midfielders of all time, Frank Lampard. On a podcast discussing Rogers, Max Rushden remarked that the way he plays is “Lampardian,” and some even suggested that Rogers might be a more rounded player than Lampard was in his prime. Jonathan Wilson, a respected football journalist, also praised Rogers, calling him an “incredible talent.”
Rogers’ ability to score goals and create chances from midfield has been a revelation this season. His performance against Tottenham in the FA Cup, where he scored the winning goal, took his tally for the season to 11 goals, one more than Phil Foden, who has been struggling to hit the same heights this year. Despite only playing for Aston Villa for a short time, Rogers has already become a key player for the team, with his performances helping to propel Villa to the top end of the Premier League table.
Rogers’ rise has made Manchester City’s decision to sell him look increasingly questionable. Rogers was part of City’s academy for four seasons, from 2019 to 2023, but despite showing promise, he never featured in a senior matchday squad. He was eventually sold to Middlesbrough for just £1.5 million, a fee that now seems like a bargain given Rogers’ current form. Now valued at £67 million by the CIES Football Observatory, Rogers’ success has been one of the standout stories of the season and serves as a reminder of the talent that City has let slip through their fingers.
The case of Morgan Rogers highlights a significant issue for Manchester City: their inability to properly develop and retain some of their most promising young talents. While City has been incredibly successful under Pep Guardiola, with numerous domestic titles and consistent performances in Europe, their handling of certain player transfers has been called into question. In the case of Rogers, the club allowed a player with immense potential to leave for a relatively low fee, and now he is thriving in the Premier League and Europe.
Rogers is not the only player that City has let go in recent years who has gone on to enjoy success elsewhere. The club has made several high-profile sales, some of which have raised eyebrows in hindsight. While the decision to sell these players may have made sense at the time, looking back, it is clear that Manchester City has allowed some incredible talent to leave the club, and that may be coming back to haunt them. Players like Rogers, who are now performing at the highest level, could have been valuable assets to Guardiola’s squad, especially as City struggles in certain areas this season.
Manchester City’s failure to retain or properly develop young talent, like Foden and Rogers, highlights a flaw in their approach to squad management. The club has been successful in the transfer market, bringing in some top-class players, but they have not always been able to nurture and retain the young players who could provide long-term solutions. As a result, City finds itself in a position where they have lost out on potential stars who are now excelling at other clubs. This is something that the club will need to address moving forward if they are to continue competing at the highest level.
Manchester City’s season has been marked by frustrating losses, with the defeat to Real Madrid serving as a painful reminder of the team’s inability to close out games when they are in a winning position. At the same time, the struggles of players like Phil Foden, who is yet to replicate his best form from previous seasons, have added to the pressure on Guardiola’s side. The rise of players like Morgan Rogers, who was once part of City’s academy, further complicates matters, as it serves as a reminder of the talent the club has let go in recent years. With City’s current squad facing several challenges, it remains to be seen whether they can turn their season around and reassert themselves as one of Europe’s elite teams. The club will need to carefully assess its squad and its decisions in the transfer market to ensure that they can build a successful and sustainable future, one that can compete with the best teams in the world for years to come.
