Why Phil Foden didn't play for Man City vs Brentford as fresh injury doubt emerges for Inter Milan

Pep Guardiola decided against bringing Phil Foden back for Manchester City against Brentford for two reasons.

First, City were yet to wrap up the win over a battling Brentford side so Guardiola did not want to risk a player who wasn't fully fit in a game still on a knife-edge. And second, to preserve the forward for a busy schedule ahead, conscious of the tests against Inter Milan and Arsenal to follow in the next seven days.

Foden was back in the matchday squad after missing the previous two City games with illness before withdrawing from international duty. He had trained in the days before City edged past Brentford, but remained on the bench and didn't warm up at all throughout the game.

ALSO READ: Pep Guardiola says Brentford did something nobody else has ever done to Man City - and he liked it

ALSO READ: Why Erling Haaland decided to play for Man City vs Brentford after death of close family friend

"He is good but he has not had that many training sessions with us so step by step," Guardiola explained. "But come on, I am delighted he is back so I need him, we need him desperately. This player is so important for us. It’s important that you think yeah this week he had three or four or five training sessions, and the game was tight and in the situations was difficult and I decide for other options."

One of those options was Rodri, called upon at half-time to shore up City's shaky midfield for his first appearance of the season. He had returned late from an extended summer break, reporting back with minor injuries that saw him miss the opening fixtures before the international break.

With Spain, he was suspended for one game and played an hour of another - with Guardiola thanking the Spanish national team for their