Man City put up a different performance in the rematch at the Etihad Stadium after losing 0-1 to Aston Villa with only two goals scored four months earlier. Pep Guardiola’s squad remains in second place in the league, two points behind Liverpool and Arsenal, thanks to Foden’s second hat trick in as many months.

The shot helped Foden score a hat-trick. Photo: Reuters

The jubilation felt by the spectators when Foden scored Man City’s third goal in their 4-1 victory over Aston Villa at Etihad Stadium in Manchester on April 3, 2024, in the evening of Premier League round 31. (Reuters photo)

Following Man City’s goalless draw with Arsenal in the previous round, Guardiola unexpectedly benched De Bruyne and Haaland for this match. In lieu of Haaland, Julian Alvarez started, Foden guarded the attack from midfield, and Jeremy Doku and Jack Grealish remained on the wings.

Doku is now more commonly played with the right hand than the left. In the first goal, his inability to use his feet to control the ball forces him to pass rather than shoot. Midfielder Rodri received a feed from Doku as he raced down the sideline to the right. Rodri then broke into the penalty area and fired a powerful shot towards the near corner to open the scoring.

Nine minutes later, Aston Villa equalized, but that was their only chance at the Etihad. During the remaining time, Foden put on a spectacular display, scoring three exquisite goals, particularly in the second half’s opening half. While creating three scoring opportunities for his teammates, dribbling the ball twice past the body, and tackling the ball twice from the opponent’s feet, Foden scored ten points in this match according to Whoscored.

Foden was hoisted off the field by Coach Pep Guardiola, who grinned at him after his hat trick. (Reuters photo)

Nearly twenty meters to the right, with Alvarez, Grealish, and Foden positioned in front of the ball, Man City was awarded a free kick in the 46th minute. Goalkeeper Robin Olsen was caught off guard when Foden continued to shoot past the wall, despite the unfavorable angle from which he was shooting. The midfielder Nicolo Zaniolo made a mistake as he leaped to dodge the ball after making a fence.

In February 2024, following Foden’s hat trick against Brentford, Coach Guardiola proclaimed the midfielder to be the finest player in the Premier League. Foden, meanwhile, thinks Rodri is Man City’s most valuable player. The third goal, scored in the 62nd minute at Etihad Stadium, was a collaborative effort by these two players. Olsen froze and stared at the ball as Rodri surged through in the middle, just outside the penalty area, and passed the ball to Foden, who scored with a one-touch shot into the far corner. soar towards the trap.

The difficulty of Foden’s shots appeared to lead goalkeeper Olsen to stand still in all three of his goals. Foden took the ball from the center in the 69th minute and shot from around 20 meters out, blasting it into the top corner and dangerously close to the post. The goalie, who was 32 years old at the time, was helpless to stop the strike.

With his hat trick, Foden moved up to fourteen goals, good for ninth place in the Premier League’s top scorer competition. In the upcoming match against Crystal Palace in London on April 6, he is anticipated to maintain his impressive performance.