Phil Foden reveals the Pep Guardiola tactical tweak that led to FWA Footballer of the Year win

Phil Foden has reflected on winning the FWA Footballer of the Year award for the first time in his career, admitting a tactical tweak from manager Pep Guardiola helped elevate his game to another level.

The attacking midfielder has enjoyed the best season of his young career in 2023/24, scoring a career-high 25 goals in all competitions and bagging 11 assists to put City on the brink of a domestic double.

Foden's fantastic form was rewarded with the first major individual honour of his career recently, with the 23-year-old being awarded the FWA Football of the Year award.

Speaking exclusively to 90min, courtesy of FedEx, the England international expressed his joy at winning the award.

"I never would have thought, being a small boy and growing up in the academy, to achieve this," he explained. "It's a special feeling for me and one that I'll keep forever.

"I don't get a tab [on what individual trophies I've won] but I love getting the trophy and have it to look back on in years to come to [appreciate] what I've achieved so. I think it's important to try and get the best out of your career.

"I feel like this year I've grown as a player and played good football, so I'm delighted."

Foden discussed how he's taken his game to the next level too, revealing that a slight positional change from manager Pep Guardiola has allowed him to become a much more potent goal threat for Man City.

"I feel that my position has changed a little bit, I'm [playing] more centrally so I feel like I can effect the game more and score more goals," said Foden.

"Yeah [I prefer playing] centrally, I feel like I played there all of my career in the academy and I see myself driving at the defence and creating things and scoring goals. Hopefully I can keep playing there more in the future."

Foden was keen to credit the now-legendary City coach with the vast improvements in his game down the years.

"When I first met him I was obviously a very young boy, and I was playing in a team full of world class players and it was hard to play," Foden said of Guardiola.

"Whereas I look at it now, he's playing me nearly every game, in the biggest games, so I feel that that's changed a little bit more. He's trusting me more now and he's improving my game every single day in training. It's a pleasure to work with him."

Foden and Guardiola will aiming to win a fourth consecutive Premier League title this weekend when City face off against West Ham United at the Etihad Stadium on the final day of the 2023/24 season.