Man City 2-0 Wydad AC: Foden and Doku score as City ease to victory

Pep Guardiola used a dinner on the beach in Florida to impress on Manchester City’s players that this is a new season, not a continuation of the old one, and nobody needed to hear that more than Phil Foden.

It would be churlish to place a great amount of weight to a goal and assist in what was largely a gentle Club World Cup opener but neither can harm for a man who lost his smile and sparkle last year.

Foden’s family and friends are out on the coast in a huge house with a pool; having them close with the kids in the sunshine – to spend time with on a day off earlier this week – is something of a relaxing reset.

Seven goals in 28 Premier League appearances is by no means a disaster but those numbers, which all came in a purple patch either side of Christmas, are not good enough for a man of Foden’s means and how he reacts to a first spell of real adversity will be one of the more notable aspects of City’s rebuild.

The signs appear decent, Foden jollier in training – grinning and laughing, larking about more than in recent months – and with a renewed intensity as City eased their way into the tournament. His understanding of when to join in with Guardiola’s armoury of attacking weapons and when to drop deeper as Tijjani Reijnders strolled forward suggests he is an option in that central midfield area as a genuine No 8.

Yet that is all tinged by the fact that this was Wydad AC, who won the African Champions League three years ago, and this was a midday start on a lazy Wednesday. In front of, it must be said, not an awful crowd of 37,446 given those circumstances and to the backdrop of dire numbers for a game in Orlando the night before.

Behind one goal the Moroccan supporters still sang, still jumped, the incessant beat of a drum down the bottom carried on. Towards the end, a couple had launched firecrackers in Ederson’s direction as red smoke billowed around the stadium. A protestor invaded the pitch to demonstrate against Morocco’s mass culling of stray dogs.

They certainly made themselves known and their team did cause City some problems after Foden gobbled up a chance inside 111 seconds. Thembinkosi Lorch’s smartly executed lob from well inside his own half had Ederson backpedalling, while the goalkeeper later bailed out Vitor Reis for allowing Cassius Mailula to bundle through.

The only blot was what appeared a harsh late red card for Rico Lewis following a collision with Samuel Obeng, the entire City bench up in arms at the punishment. Lewis caught his head on the floor after winning the ball cleanly.

But it was largely comfortable for City, whose lead doubled three minutes before the break when Foden’s wicked corner was left untouched until the back post and Jeremy Doku stole a march to stab home. Doku later fluffed his lines when clean through, a chance owed to Rayan Cherki’s pressing on a debut that didn’t offer too many clues as to how his move will pan out.

Guardiola seemed occasionally exasperated with the Frenchmen for little flicks which lost cheap possession yet City knew that is the sort of flair they bought from Lyon. The City manager will be content enough with a slight tweak in general energy off the ball and from the front – possibly inspired by Pep Lijnders – and that a trio of important squad members were given minutes after major injury problems.

Rodri and Oscar Bobb were both given half an hour after effectively missing the entirety of the season, while Nathan Ake finishing the 90 minutes. Having these guys back fit and firing – as well as a rejuvenated Foden – will be equally important as the transfer business.