Pep Guardiola hints Man City already have ready-made Kevin De Bruyne successor

Phil Foden proved Manchester City can do without the indispensable, if only for one match.

Thanks to Foden, Pep Guardiola was able to leave Kevin De Bruyne unused behind the emergency class against Leeds. The closest the world’s best playmaker got to the action was warming up the sidelines and he had a breather ahead of Wednesday’s massive Champions League showdown with Real Madrid.

Foden was superb and he mesmerised Leeds with his fleet feet and equally-quick brain. He set up two goals and had a hand in another as the champions overpowered Leeds to return to the top of the Premier League.

The 21-year-old, who now has 13 goals and nine assists for City, took over set-piece duties in the absence of De Bruyne and Guardiola claimed he relishes this responsibility. He said: “Responsibility for him is not a problem and going on bigger stages in bigger scenarios in bigger games, he has not a problem. He loves to play. It’s good for Phil. He’s so young, hopefully he can be here for the rest of his life.”

Guardiola will unleash Foden in tandem with De Bruyne against Real and says accommodating the England star in his attack is easy because he can play anywhere. He deployed him in the No.10 role at Elland Road and feels this will become his best position when he has fully matured.

Guardiola said: “I think he can play in all five positions up front - wingers both sides, striker and attacking midfielder in the pockets - he can play all of them. With time he will be more capable of playing in the positions in the middle. He still does all actions at high speed and sometimes you have to pause. Now he has the energy of youth and maybe the wing suits him better.

“But I’m pretty sure because when I started to see him in the