Phil Foden emulates Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland as he impresses again in front of England boss Gareth Southgate

Phil Foden scored his 50th top-flight goal under Pep Guardiola and it means he joins a pretty unique group.

The Manchester City star’s brace against Brighton on Thursday night took him to 50 Premier League goals as he helped City win 4-0 on the south coast.

As a result, Foden joins Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland as the only players under the age of 23 to score 50 top-flight goals while working under Guardiola.

The midfielder has been a regular in Guardiola’s first team for several years, but there is no doubt that this season he has started to reach his undoubted potential.

This season, Foden has scored 24 goals and provided ten assists for Man City, a total he hopes can help his club double their trophy glory.

As well as Foden’s two goals, Kevin De Bruyne and Julian Alvarez gave City victory as England boss Gareth Southgate looked on in the stands.

Victory over Brighton means Guardiola’s side sit second in the Premier League, one point behind Arsenal but with a game in hand.

They will also face Manchester United in the FA Cup final where City will hope to end the season on a high.

But next up for Man City will be a tricky test as they travel to Nottingham Forest on Sunday.

With title rivals Arsenal taking on Tottenham earlier today, the clash at the City Ground could go a long way in deciding where the title ends this season.

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