England have their own Lionel Messi for Gareth Southgate in Phil Foden

Maguire opens up on criticism ahead of England v USA at World Cup

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England star Phil Foden has been compared to Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona as Gareth Southgate was urged to start the Manchester City man in the Three Lions second World Cup game against the United States on Friday. Foden came off the bench in the 6-2 win over Iran on Monday, and will be pushing to start at the Al Bayt Stadium.

Southgate opted to play Mason Mount behind Harry Kane against Iran, with Raheem Sterling and Bukayo Saka on either flank but former Manchester United midfielder Paul Parker has heaped praise on Foden, comparing him to the likes of Messi and Maradona. “England hasn’t had a talent like Phil Foden since Wayne Rooney and I really love that he is from a working background,” Parker told Futbin.

“He plays his own kind of football and you can see that he is unbelievably skilled. He is the only one on the national team that has played street football. The best players ever in football have played street football and Phil Foden is like Xavi, [Andres] Iniesta, Messi and Maradona when you are watching him on the pitch.

“I wouldn’t play Mason Mount as the attacking midfielder, because he is not really attacking. I would definitely play with Phil Foden as the attacking midfielder for England. Phil Foden plays for Pep Guardiola, which means he isn’t lazy.

“If you want to have a midfielder that can create chances and score goals, Foden is the one you should go with. He is really the attacking midfielder for the future for England and he is the only England player that could play for every single top team in Europe and fit well in.”

Despite Parker’s praise for Foden, he could be snubbed by Southgate as the England boss looks set to name an unchanged team to face the US. The Athletic has claimed that the ex-Middlesbrough man will stick to the side that put six past Iran.

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There had been questions before the tournament about whether Foden would start on the wing instead of Saka, but Southgate was justified in his selection of the Arsenal star, having scored a brace in the opener.

Having scored seven goals in 11 Premier League starts this season, Foden has come to Qatar in fine form but was surprisingly left on the bench for three of Manchester City’s final four league games.

He came off the bench in each game in victories over Brighton, Leicester and Fulham before starting the final game before the World Cup for Guardiola’s side in their 2-1 home defeat to Brentford. Foden did get City’s goal in that game however, and will hope to get on the scoresheet again with his first-ever World Cup goal.

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