Maresca backs Foden to deliver on return from ban
Enzo Maresca backed Phil Foden to make an instant impact against Ipswich on Saturday after the midfielder's three-game ban following his red card at Manchester United.
· Kickhell
Phil Foden is set to return to Premier League action for Manchester City against Ipswich after serving a three-game suspension, with manager Enzo Maresca expressing full confidence in the midfielder's ability to make an immediate impact.
Foden was banned after picking up a red card in City's 1-0 Premier League win at Manchester United last month. He returned to the squad as an unused substitute in Wednesday's 4-2 Champions League defeat at home to Paris Saint-Germain.
"He will score tomorrow!" Maresca said at his pre-match press conference on Friday, before adding a more measured assessment. "We just try to work with him day by day. The international break and since the red card against United has been quite long. But he has been training well."
The Italian manager acknowledged the decision over whether to start Foden was still to be made. "We will see if he is available tomorrow, but we have so many games. We need to decide if he starts tomorrow or not and if he does, no doubt he will give us something."
Maresca also praised 18-year-old Moroccan midfielder Ayyoub Bouddai, who came off the bench in the second half against PSG and impressed. "Ayyoub is a fantastic player. The good thing about Ayyoub is that when he is inside the pitch, he improves the ones around him," Maresca said. "This just from top players."
City head into the Ipswich fixture with a perfect seven wins from seven in the Premier League this season, sitting top of the table.
