Guardiola 'wants to help' Foden get back to his best

Manchester City head Pep Guardiola wants to thief Phil Foden return to premier shape aft nan midfielder said astir struggling connected and disconnected nan pitch.

Foden, 24, said off-field issues and an ankle wounded suffered against Manchester United successful April contributed to him being beneath his champion and he wants to get his caput "mentally right".

"It's true, Phil said that and of people he has not been [at his best]," said Guardiola.

"[He hasn't been astatine his best] not [just] for him, each of us, his family, for america - he's a babe boy from nan academy and go a prima pinch us.

"We want to thief him, that's nan astir important thing. He needs remainder and it's going to hap now aft Sunday."

City extremity a disappointing play pinch a travel to look Fulham successful nan Premier League connected Sunday (kick-off 16:00 BST), knowing a constituent should clinch Champions League shot for adjacent season.

On Friday, Foden was near retired of England head Thomas Tuchel's squad for games against Andorra and Senegal successful early June.

Tuchel said Foden needs clip to retrieve from his ankle wounded and to "re-find nan joyousness successful his game".

Foden scored 19 Premier League goals to thief City execute an unprecedented 4th English top-flight title successful a statement past season.

He won nan Professional Footballers' Association and Football Writers' Association subordinate of nan play awards, arsenic good arsenic being named successful nan PFA squad of nan year.

But he has managed only 10 goals crossed each competitions this word and has grounded to people successful his past 19 games for nine and state - a tally stretching backmost to January.

Foden said nan play has been "difficult" and "frustrating", adding that if "everything was OK" he would "definitely" person been amended connected nan field.

Guardiola added: "Step by measurement he is going to travel back. I conscionable want to thief him, that is what we want.

"I don't attraction astir his capacity connected nan pitch, I want him to consciousness bully and aft nan remainder will travel successful an easy way."

Following Foden's omission from nan England squad, Guardiola was asked if location was a speech betwixt nine and state bosses.

"I don't cognize astir England nationalist team," Guardiola said. "It's existent he has been struggling a agelong clip pinch his ankle.

"What happened pinch nan nationalist squad belongs to Thomas."

England leader Tuchel told BBC Radio 5 Live that he and Foden had decided it would beryllium amended for nan subordinate to return "a spot of clip off" successful bid to "let him breathe" and "clear his head".

The German leader said: "That hurts a batch because I emotion Phil arsenic a personification successful camp, he was fantastic.

"I emotion him arsenic a player. The talent is outstanding, but astatine nan infinitesimal this is nan decision."

Tuchel added: "Maybe we person sewage truthful utilized to his highest level that we are now... worried, but I deliberation location is nary logic to beryllium worried.

"I deliberation it's possibly conscionable a dip successful his development. Lately he needs to re-find nan joyousness successful his game. It's not truthful easy, it is not falling easy into his feet. So yes, he is struggling, but he is still truthful young and still afloat of talent.

"I had a bully telephone telephone pinch him and everything is fine. We don't request to talk astir his talent, we will do much aliases little everything to bring him backmost to form.

"Hopefully, nan main portion is still connected him, and he will travel back."

City person a short turnaround aft nan Fulham game, travelling to nan expanded Club World Cup successful nan United States wherever they statesman their group run against Moroccan broadside Wydad AC successful Philadelphia connected 18 June.

Guardiola said Foden would "in principle" recreation to America for nan tournament, but he confirmed full-back Kyle Walker, who is presently retired connected indebtedness astatine AC Milan, will not beryllium pinch nan City squad.