Wayne Rooney: Phil Foden final appearance like a ‘charity sub’

Foden has now collected 18 trophies since breaking through into the first-team as a teenager and was called up to the expanded England squad for the forthcoming friendlies against Uruguay and Japan.

But there are question marks as to whether he will make the cut for this summer’s World Cup, while he failed to make it off the bench in last week’s Champions League last-16 second leg tie against Real Madrid, with City suffering a 5-1 loss on aggregate.

Speaking on the BBC’s Wayne Rooney Show, the former Manchester United forward said: “I felt sad for him but not sad because he is coming on in a cup final.

“There was a game a few days ago when he didn’t even get on the pitch. If that was Max Dowman coming on at the end, you would think good experience. But to see Phil Foden coming on in a cup final, it felt like a charity sub to get him on the pitch.

“I don’t know what has happened, he is a top player. It feels strange he can’t get anywhere near the team. It feels like something has gone on there.

“I thought Foden was in good form but all of a sudden we haven’t seen him get any minutes. Firstly he will be pleased they won the cup but from a selfish point of view, he would have wanted to be out there and having an influence.

“That will be a tough one for him.”