Enzo Maresca encouraged to bench Man City star even after winning against Crystal Palace
Enzo Maresca has been asked to rethink his team choices ahead of Manchester City’s next match, after some fans weren’t happy with one player during their recent 4-1 win against Crystal Palace.
Even though City earned their second straight Premier League win at Selhurst Park, not everyone was impressed. Erling Haaland scored his first goal of the season, and his first since getting a haircut, putting City ahead after 17 minutes. After halftime, Rayan Cherki’s smart solo goal made it 2-0. Palace fought back with a goal when Yeremy Pino’s long-range free kick hit the crossbar and bounced off goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma into the net. But City quickly restored their two-goal lead with another goal from Cherki, then Haaland added a late fourth goal.
Despite the win and Phil Foden assisting both Cherki’s first goal and Haaland’s second, many fans were unhappy with Foden’s performance, saying he missed some easy chances. One fan said, “Almost every City fan criticized Guardiola for benching Foden, and now we see why. He’s been poor and missed clear chances.” Another added, “If we lose, can you really blame Maresca? Foden’s had so many chances to bounce back, but he just can’t seem to find his best form anymore. He’s lucky fans love him because of their patience.”
Others agreed, saying Foden looks weak, loses the ball too easily, and seems afraid to challenge opponents. Another wrote, “Foden’s been struggling since 2024, but no one’s talking about it. If it were Rashford or Saka, we’d hear all about it.” Some think the next few games will be crucial for Foden, especially with City planning moves in the transfer market. One fan even said, “It used to be unthinkable City would sell Foden. Now, I wonder what price would be right or if feelings will stop the sale. Every week he plays, he seems closer to leaving.”
Even with these struggles, Foden signed a new four-year contract with City earlier this summer. City’s next game is at home against Coventry City on September 5.