Phil Foden moment in FA Cup gave Man City a glimpse into their future

"In this moment I see him playing up front because he is dynamic, the sense of goal, he helps us with the first pressure and then afterwards backwards," said Pep Guardiola of Phil Foden in December 2020.

For a player who broke through the ranks as a central, or attacking, midfielder, Guardiola quickly decided that Foden's best position for his immediate development in the first team was in the attacking three positions.

And in the following year or so, it's a strategy that has emphatically worked. Foden played a starring role in City's Premier League title win last season as a winger, and showed his quality in the Champions League run to the final as he scored vital goals against Borussia Dortmund and started in the final.

Guardiola continued in December 2020: "I’m pretty sure that with age – when he becomes 24 or 25 - he will be able to play more in the defensive midfield. He has to understand situations sometimes but it is part of the age.

"Now he can play both wings, behind the striker or a striker. His dynamic, the way he attacks the ball is incredible and that’s why as a manager having someone who can play in several positions is fundamental."

The manager has stuck to his word, and Foden has become one of the world's most exciting talents in the process. He has successfully kept Raheem Sterling on the bench for long periods - prompting Sterling to consider his City future - and helped Guardiola navigate 18 months without a main striker.

So it was curious to see Foden start in midfield in the FA Cup slog at Peterborough on Tuesday, as this is the position he was always earmarked for, but fans rarely get the chance to see how he is developing.

In a game with few talking points as City ground out a 2-0 win over the