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Manchester City youngsters Liam Delap and Phil Foden strike to dump Bournemouth out of League Cup

Liam Delap and Phil Foden - Manchester City youngsters Liam Delap and Phil Foden strike to dump Bournemouth out of League Cup - GETTY IMAGES
Liam Delap and Phil Foden - Manchester City youngsters Liam Delap and Phil Foden strike to dump Bournemouth out of League Cup - GETTY IMAGES

Manchester City 2 Bournemouth 1

Phil Foden has well and truly put his pre-season England shame behind him. The Manchester City midfielder rescued his team when their four-year unbeaten run in the EFL Cup looked under threat.

The 20-year-old, sent home during international duty for having female guests at the team hotel, followed his goalscoring performance earlier in the week with the decisive goal here after Sam Surridge had cancelled out Liam Delap’s goal on his City debut.

After 1429 days since City’s last defeat in the competition - and three triumphs at Wembley - Bournemouth gave them a scare until Foden struck. He was their creative player, setting up Delap’s opener and getting other team-mates behind Bournemouth’s defence.

In this form, Gareth Southgate may find him difficult to ignore for next month’s international’s after his ill-discipline in Iceland on his first call-up.

“For more than one year you know my words about Phil, he is an exceptional player, he does everything and I’m happy for him because I have a feeling in every moment of every game he is moving a step forward,” said City manager Pep Guardiola.

He was a relative veteran considering Pep Guardiola’s team contained Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Tommy Doyle, both 18, while Delap caught the eye as a lone striker with potential to eventually be a first-team regular.

Delap’s father, Rory, was sat in the stands at the Etihad Stadium, officially as a scout for Stoke City but also beaming with pride behind his protective mask when his son opened his account for City.

The 17-year-old has been at City’s Academy for a year and while he slotted into City’s passing style, there is something of an old-fashioned centre-forward about him, with a physical presence and patience as he clung to the last defender.

Liam Delap celebrates his goal, which came in front of his dad in the stands - GETTY IMAGES
Liam Delap celebrates his goal, which came in front of his dad in the stands - GETTY IMAGES

When Foden’s ball was threaded around Jack Simpson he sprung to life, nudging ahead of his marker and firing his finish into the top corner with his first shot in senior football. He wheeled away to celebrate sliding on his knees but Guardiola was just as elated in the technical area.

“I saw the ball coming and wanted to take it first time,” Delap said. “I saw the keeper coming and I thought to just guide it in rather than go for power. To get the call up was as dream come true but to top it off with a win and a goal, I can’t ask for more.”

Guardiola says he needs his young players as they are struggling with injuries. “The situation now is that we have just 13 available and we need players from the Academy,” he said. “Liam will stay with us and we will see if we use him but he is a young guy like we said about Phil in previous seasons.”

Bournemouth levelled four minutes after conceding with a goal from their own young stars combining. David Brooks created the chance with a powerful run into dangerous territory, Dan Gosling helped the ball on and Surridge had his sight of goal.

Surridge managed to turn and fire a shot through the legs of Adrian Bernabe, the 19-year-old Spaniard who was filling in at left-back as Guardiola utilised his squad. Bernabe only lasted 35 minutes before he was stretchered off in distress and carried out of the stadium for treatment.

Surridge, 22, threatened with two chances to get Bournemouth in front after the interval, linking up with Brooks but seeing his sights of goal closed out by City defenders.

Guardiola’s response to his team struggling to create chances was to call for Kevin De Bruyne off the bench, with the Belgium midfielder replacing Rodri and dictating play from central midfield. Then he called for Raheem Sterling for the final quarter of the game with the tie in the balance and the visitors scenting an upset.

But it was Foden who provided the breakthrough, his moment came with 15 minutes remaining after he exchanged passes with Riyad Mahrez. Mahrez’s shot hit the base of the post and Foden stabbed the rebound into the floor but over Travers for his second goal in four days after opening his account for the season at Molineux.

Match details

Manchester City: Steffen, Walker, Garcia, Harwood-Bellis, Foden, Rodri (De Bruyne, 61), Doyle (Sterling, 67), Bernabe (Mendy, 36), Torres, Mahrez, Delap.
Subs not used: Ake, Carson, Nmecha, Palmer.
Booked: Delap.
Goals: Delap (18), Foden (75).
Bournemouth: Travers, Kelly (Zemura, 28), Ofoborh, Simpson, Smith, Lewis Cook, Gosling, Billing, Rico (Steve Cook, 64), Brooks (Kilkenny, 76), Surridge.
Subs not used: Begovic, Lerma, Stacey, Anthony.
Booked: Zemura, Lewis Cook.
Goal: Surridge (22).
Referee: Jonathan Moss (County Durham).