Manchester United legend Paul Scholes has heaped praise on Manchester City star Phil Foden, claiming he has outshone Chelsea icon Frank Lampard in terms of ability. The ex-midfield star also said Foden was starting to match Lampard in terms of impact, as well.
Paul Scholes Draws Interesting Parallels Between Manchester City Ace Phil Foden & Chelsea Hero Frank Lampard
Lampard, who won three Premier League titles and a UEFA Champions League with Chelsea, is considered one of the best attack-minded midfielders in Premier League history. His driving runs from the middle made him an invaluable asset to the Pensioners, with his goals often proving decisive in tricky encounters. Lampard scored 211 times and provided 145 assists in 648 games for the Stamford Bridge outfit, emerging as their all-time top scorer.
Foden, who has won five Premier League titles and a UEFA Champions League with Manchester City, is one of the finest players in the Premier League. According to Scholes, he is already better than Lampard ever was, and is gradually starting to match his influence. Speaking on the Premier League post-match show following Manchester City’s win over Manchester United on Sunday (March 3), Scholes said (via The Boot Room):
“He’s starting to…look, Phil Foden is a better footballer than Frank Lampard but Lampard scored goals and won leagues for his club, from midfield. You expect strikers to score goals, you expect the numbers from Haaland or from Michael (Owen) when the team is playing well. But from a midfield point of view you’ve really got to take the game by the neck and say ‘right, I’m going to get us back into this, I’m going to win us this game’.
“I think Frank Lampard was like that and I think Phil Foden is starting to do that goals-wise. Look, Phil’s a much better footballer than Frank but Frank won leagues for his team because of his contribution from midfield in big games especially, and I think we’re seeing the same thing now from Phil Foden, definitely.”
Foden Inspired City To Comeback Win Over Manchester United
On Sunday’s Manchester derby, Foden produced one of his finest performances of the season to propel Manchester City to a 3-1 victory over crosstown rivals Manchester United. After knocking on United’s doors in the first half, Foden opened the scoring for City in the 56th minute, canceling out Marcus Rashford’s outside-the-box stunner with a long-ranger of his own. The Englishman cut in from the right flank, steadied himself to shoot, and found the top-left corner with a piledriver of a left-footer.
In the 80th minute, Foden put City in front, applying a simple finish from inside the box after carving United open with a clever one-two with Julian Alvarez. Erling Haaland scored City’s third goal in stoppage time to ensure a comfortable victory at the Etihad Stadium.
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