Scoring against Sparta is great for my confidence, says Foden | OneFootball

Phil Foden was elated after finding the net to set City on our way to a convincing 5-0 UEFA Champions League victory over Sparta Prague.

The Englishman has had an interrupted start to the season, missing out through a combination of illness and injury, but was back in the starting team and opened the scoring after just three minutes, with a sharp turn and finish from the edge of the box.

Erling Haaland spectacularly doubled the lead shortly before the hour mark, before John Stones headed in our third.

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Haaland finished off a fine team move to make it four and Matheus Nunes rounded off a superb performance with a fifth from the penalty spot.

Foden, who was named Player of the Match after a fine display, was delighted to be back on the pitch and amongst the goals.

"I’m just getting a bit match sharp," he said. "I wanted to turn and make something happen. It’s something I’ve worked on when I’m younger, playing in the pocket. If you don’t check your shoulder so many times then the picture can change so quickly. I’m one that always checks my shoulder and tries to see what’s close to me.

"It was very good for my confidence to score early and get back out there and feel sharp again. I’m going in the right direction now.

"After being the best player last year, that’s what everyone wants to see, to be the same player as last year. That’s the standard I’ve set myself and I want to get back there. I think the season is long enough to get back to my level. I need to keep going and keep showing what I can do.

"I just enjoy football. I don’t think about what’s going on outside. I do massively put pressure on myself to get better in training and do better things. That’s the type of person I am, I want to push myself and be even better.

"The aim is to hit what I hit last year as a player. Last year I showed over a long season I was very consistent and I want to get back there. And for the team as well, to show we’re still hungry to win trophies and to not show that we have dropped off.

"I think this year we’re still showing how hungry we are by scoring late on at Wolves and the passion in the celebrations. It shows how much we want to fight for more trophies.

"The players and people we are, we’re grounded anyway. But I think the players in the changing room with the experience and the manager, they keep us grounded as well. It’s good to be a part of this team."

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Haaland netted his 43rd and 44th Champions League goals under the floodlights at the Etihad Stadium, with his first goal the best of all five on the night, acrobatically leaping to flick the ball into the net.

"I just said to him in there and said ‘If I tried to do that I'd pull my groin!’ I don’t know how he does it," said Foden.

"I think it’s just how long his legs are. I don’t know. He’s a freak. I’ve seen him score a similar one against Dortmund so he shows he has this talent that nobody else can do."