Phil Foden achieved a century of career goals and left Manchester City messiah Pep Guardiola purring: “I hope he becomes a one-club man.”
The England midfielder's two goals put City's six-shooters back into the top four and took him into 100 for club and country. As City warmed up for Wednesday's crucial Champions League match against Paris Saint-Germain with defeat at Portman Road, Guardiola warned: “We are back to doing things that will define this team for the next ten years.”
Foden's five goals in his last three Premier League games confirm he is back to his best, with Guardiola saying: “The biggest quality for Phil is around the box. He has the goal in his blood, in his bones, in his mind: 'I'm going to score'.
“I have often said that he will improve. Of course, there is no one who longs more than me to become a one-club man, to finish his career here and play for many, many years, because what we have here is an incredible City fan.
“At his age, the number of games, the number of goals, the number of assists and the amount of work ethic is unbelievable. We've spoken many times over the past month. He is a very different guy than he was at the start of the season and faced problems because players are human.
“When you have a long career, you sometimes have setbacks. We are very happy that he is happy again and playing with pleasure. That's really good for all of us. If he smiles every day, that's two goals.”
City climbed back into the top four for the first time since December 14 and Guardiola added: “I'm very happy with the three points and qualification for the Champions League for next season – that will be so difficult.”
“Maybe it's not our best, but it's more in line with the consistency we have in our game. The players know the standards and what they have done in the past. it's not about winning or losing. You have to enjoy it.
“It doesn't matter if you're a professional or an amateur. You can be in the best theater in London or in a theater in Sheffield and those in Sheffield will love it and come back smiling.
Foden claimed City's procession at Portman Road was “probably our best this season, in terms of all-round play” and added: “We're building momentum, it's important to keep players fit.
“I attribute it to the fact that people are in better shape and that the team bond is stronger. It's good to see me scoring goals again with a smile on my face and enjoying football. I want to go ahead and add to that. You never know what could happen. The goal is to stay in the top four.”
Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna admitted: “It was a painful game. City's quality was too strong for us in every respect. But today it wasn't just about the gap between the Championship and the Premier League. They have done that with some of the best teams in the Premier League and with top teams in Europe.”
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