Man City squad ladder: Haaland misses top spot, Foden slow start
The Athletic has published its latest Manchester City squad ladder for October 2026, a periodic ranking of the club's players by current form and importance. Erling Haaland, typically the standout name, does not occupy the top spot, suggesting either strong competition from teammates or a dip in his recent output. Phil Foden, meanwhile, is highlighted as enduring a slow start, raising questions about his role and sharpness early in the campaign. The piece offers a snapshot of Pep Guardiola's squad depth and internal hierarchy at this stage of the season.
Read the full story at nytimes.comSquad ladders are a useful pulse-check on a title contender's internal balance, and this one signals that Manchester City's hierarchy is not simply a one-man show around Haaland. Other players — whether a defender enjoying a purple patch or a midfielder hitting top form — are being rated ahead of City's marquee striker, which is a statement in itself. Foden's slow start is a more familiar concern: his place in Guardiola's XI has long been debated, and a sluggish October only fuels that conversation heading into a demanding run of fixtures.
Context added by Socc360, not by nytimes.com.
Data source: nytimes.com (via Socc360). Last updated .
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