Pep Guardiola backs Foden to do his talking on the pitch after Twitter gaffe

Pep Guardiola has backed Phil Foden to continue to do his talking on the pitch after a stunning fortnight for the Manchester City academy graduate.

Foden scored winning goals in both Champions League quarter-final legs against Borussia Dortmund and has kept his place in City’s best XI for the biggest matches this month.

The 20-year-old was left disappointed by an ill-judged tweet sent to Kylian Mbappe earlier in the week and subsequently severed ties with his social media company.

‘It’s not about what we believe in the past - it’s what they show on the grass,’ Guardiola said. ‘Footballers have to show every day. In football it’s the present, it doesn’t matter what we’ve done.

‘Today everyone is involved, talking on social media. The only way they can go is to do it on the grass. Everything we get is on the grass.

‘Not any other situations. He’ll carry on being there depending on his performance. Every game you have to win something to stay in this team.’

Guardiola is attempting to quash all talk of City’s pursuit of the Quadruple as they head into Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea.

The Catalan claimed he is just happy his team has proven they can reach the latter stages of every competition.

‘We’ve fought for the titles, I have respect for the players. We had no break after Lyon (last August) and look at what we’ve done in this tough situation.

‘Sometimes you spend years to get something and you don’t get credit. Everything you get immediately without effort is not nice.

‘We know how difficult it was to get to semi-final of the Champions League so the happiness is even higher. We’d love to have done it before but we were there – and every season we were there.

‘Now they know they can reach the semi-final and that will be the target next season. Be stable as a club and fight again next season. But one bad performance – to judge four seasons because the Champions League doesn’t work?

‘I know we are good as we are in semi-finals. The margin was goal difference in the past. Now we were better but we could have been out against Dortmund. I’m more than delighted to enjoy the semi-final. Continue every day fighting and being ourselves. Now we want to reach the final of the oldest club competition in the world. We’d love to do it. Aston Villa then the Carabao Cup.’