Foden matches Messi and Haaland feat with 50th league goal under Guardiola

Phil Foden equalled the feats of Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland when he scored his 50th league goal as Manchester City stormed into a 3-0 lead against Brighton.

Foden scored twice in the first half at the Amex Stadium on Thursday, setting Pep Guardiola’s team on the way to a potentially pivotal win in the Premier League title race.

The England international’s first, which came after Kevin De Bruyne’s excellent diving header, came as his free-kick deflected in off the unfortunate Pascal Gross.

It was that goal that marked Foden’s 50th in league football, with all of those coming under Guardiola.

50 – Phil Foden has scored his 50th Premier League goal, and is only the third player to score 50 top-flight goals under Pep Guardiola while aged 23 or younger, after Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland. Star. pic.twitter.com/hQrG4cfASB

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) April 25, 2024

That makes Foden just the third player to score 50 league goals under Guardiola while aged 23 or younger, after City team-mate Haaland and Barcelona great Messi.

Foden netted his 51st Premier League goal soon after, drilling in after City capitalised on some slack Brighton play.