Micah Richards and Cesc Fabregas disagree on Phil Foden after ...

Micah Richards went back and forth with Cesc Fabregas over how to get the best out of Phil Foden after he struggled to influence proceedings in England's 1-0 win over Serbia.

The Three Lions got their Euro 2024 campaign off to the perfect start in Gelsenkirchen when Jude Bellingham ghosted into the Serbia penalty area to power a header beyond Predrag Rajkovic in the 13th minute. That goal was just reward for England's first-half dominance, but they tailed off after the break and endured some nervy moments as Serbia pushed for an equaliser.

There had been plenty of talk in the build-up of how best to accommodate both Bellingham and Foden off the back of their highly impressive domestic campaigns with Real Madrid and Manchester City respectively.

And while Bellingham shone in the No.10 position, Richards claimed that England have to work out how to get the best out of Foden after last year's Premier League Player of the Season produced an ineffective display.

Speaking post-match on BBC Sport, Richards said: "The big talking point for me tonight was Phil Foden. I think the first 20 minutes he got into some really good positions. We need to find a way to get the best out of him."

He continued: "He wasn't involved. At Manchester City we obviously know it's choreographed with the system and the movements and all those sorts of things. But it makes me sad when I see a player of this quality just in and out of games."

Fabregas then chimed in to point out the difference between Foden and Bellingham's performances, saying: "Micah, I totally agree, but the same way that you see Jude imposing himself, wanting the ball, getting face to face against an opponent. He oozes this class. [Foden] needs to do that himself as well."

Join the debate! Where do you think Foden should play? Let us know here.

Responding, Richards said: "I totally agree with you, but Jude, in the centre of the park, he can do that. Off the ball, [Foden] is coming from a wide position. It's very difficult when Jude's got the freedom of the pitch and Phil is having to go from pressing out wide, to coming in midfield. He's playing with [Kieran] Trippier, who's not right-footed, he needs [Luke] Shaw to go and overlap so he can get those combinations.

"It's just sad to see because this season he's been immense. Watch Man City every other week and the stuff that he's doing for Man City we need to see it in an England shirt."

Fabregas then finished the conversation by pointing out that the onus is on Foden to do more if he is to live up to his true potential for England. He concluded: "I love that you try to defend him, seriously, I get your point totally. But a player of this class, of this level, of this talent, for me sometimes, he doesn't even need to be told by the coach what he needs to do. He needs to want it more than the rest and for me today, it showed that Jude is a little bit above him in this regard."

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