Erling Haaland capped a remarkable week with two goals in Manchester City's 3-0 drubbing of Manchester United on Sunday but the sight of Phil Foden opening the scoring was perhaps the most significant aspect of the derby win.
The England forward was voted PFA Player of the Season in 2023-24 when he scored 27 times in all competitions for City, including a double on the final day of the season against West Ham United to clinch a fourth successive title.
But Foden's form vanished last season and the goals dried up and before Sunday his last Premier League goal was in January.
Back to it! That was for you Ricky 🩵🕊️ pic.twitter.com/4UP8oJX9m1
— Phil Foden (@PhilFoden) September 14, 2025
His struggles were one factor in City's troubling campaign last season but there were signs on Sunday that he is emerging from his slump and that the joy, that manager Pep Guardiola said had gone from his game, is returning.
"We missed him so much last season. We need him so much," Guardiola told reporters after City avoided a third successive defeat in the Premier League.
"When he moves behind the strikers, in that position, the sense of goal, the sense of turns, the quality to keep the ball.
"There are players that play behind the striker, and most of them pass the ball and stay and (say) 'look how good I make the pass'. He's a guy who makes a pass to the penalty spot like an animal. When he doesn't get the pass (back) he's angry, because he wants to score.
"We can't forget two seasons ago he was the most important player in the Premier League and was the key player in that title. Last season for various reasons he could not be with us."
Foden offered a glimpse of his old self when he scored twice in the Fifa Club World Cup at the end of the last campaign but injury niggles meant his only appearance since the start of the season was a brief cameo off the bench in City's home defeat against Tottenham Hotspur.
Given a start on Sunday, Foden needed only 18 minutes to end his Premier League goal drought, heading in Jeremy Doku's cut back for his seventh goal in Manchester derbies.
.@PhilFoden's seventh @PremierLeague derby goal 🩵 pic.twitter.com/EetGGdtBWL
— Manchester City (@ManCity) September 14, 2025
"Hopefully, step by step, he can get back to his best. The joy and happiness we see in his face every day lately. Now we are sure that we are going to see the best Phil."
Haaland's brace, taking his Premier League tally to five in four games, added to the five goals he scored for Norway in midweek against Moldova.
"Erling never disappoints us since he arrived," Guardiola said. "Erling has the commitment, that is why he signed a contract for many years. He's a special player."