Alejandro Garnacho and Phil Foden are perhaps the standout academy products in the past few years from Manchester United and Manchester City respectively.
Foden, 24, is far more established than the Argentine international — having won every single trophy in club football while also being crowned the PFA Players’ Player of the Year award earlier this year.
Garnacho, 20, however, is a starter for a club of the standing of Manchester United and nowadays, a case could be made that he is their most crucial attacker.
Both Manchester clubs are heavily reliant on both their goalscorers to step up to the mantle of being key players for two European giants.
However, Garnacho still has plenty of development left in his career to be considered a player of Foden’s calibre.
The Manchester City poster-boy’s place amongst the best players in the world is set in stone.
Gary Neville says Garnacho needs to “work harder” defensively like Foden
Garnacho, on the other hand is still a player who is on the rise.
The youngster’s latest showing in Manchester United’s 1-1 draw against Chelsea generated a lot of discourse amongst fans and pundits alike.
Gary Neville stated that one trait that Garnacho must learn from Foden is his tendency to relentlessly track back for his side.
The pundit initially said on The Gary Neville Podcast: “I’m not going to dig [Marcus] Rashford and [Alejandro] Garnacho out but I am because they’re two players who’ve come through the ranks. And with that comes some credit, the fact that you’re an academy player and you get a level of buy-in from the fans because of that so there’s an enthusiasm towards them.”
“So, obviously now, they’ve been in the team, Rashford for a good few years and Garnacho for a couple of years or so.”
Neville added: “But when I watch [Bukayo] Saka and [Leandro] Trossard and [Gabriel] Martinelli and I watch Bernardo Silva and [Phil] Foden for City or I watch players from Liverpool, I watch them all scurrying back and harrassing back and doubling up and I watch a real intent.”
“I’ve watched [Malo] Gusto run forward there on that far side in that first half, we couldn’t believe how much space he gets. And the first ethic is that you work hard. And look, I’m not saying that Rashford and Garnacho do not work hard but they can work harder, I know that and that’s in their defensive work which then I think gives you your reward in your attacking play.”
Another Manchester United legend in Rio Ferdinand hailed Foden as an “unreal” player as his consistency over the years has rightfully garnered praise.
Thomas Frank also said Phil Foden “works very hard”
Much like Gary Neville, Brentford boss Thomas Frank lauded Foden for his graft on the pitch.
“He works very hard. He seems to have a good mentality. I don’t know him personally but looks from the outside to have a very good mentality in terms of working hard. So, he’s very good.”
In a Pep Guardiola side, it seems like even the most technically gifted players like Foden are instructed to put in the hard yards and work hard defensively for their side.
At Manchester United, perhaps Garnacho has struggled in this regard due to the uncertainty surrounding the club since he broke into the first-team under Erik ten Hag.
Foden is an expert presser and it was interesting to see how he was utilised in a double pivot when City were defending against Southampton.
The Englishman deserves massive credit for how willing he is to do the dirty work on the pitch.
