Ben Foster has suggested that one Manchester City player was overlooked at times during their Treble-winning season.
The 2022/23 season saw the Citizens win their fifth Premier League in six years as well as their first Champions League and another FA Cup.
With the Blues now in the frame to regain the two domestic trophies they lifted last term, one pundit and former top-flight player has highlighted one player in the City squad that he feels has been particularly significant this season.
Foster says Julian Alvarez was overlooked last season
Speaking in a recent video shared on the Sky Sports Premier League YouTube channel, Foster had this to say about Julian Alvarez and the way he’s featured in different positions for City this season, as well as his efforts from the previous campaign.
He said: “It speaks for his adaptability really, the fact that he likes to be a striker but he can play all over the place.
“Erling Haaland picked an injury up earlier in the season, [Kevin] De Bruyne was out for a large chunk of the season and to have a player that can just fit in, that utility player and do it so humbly as well, because a lot of strikers like to just stay up there and they like to score the goals and be the main man, but he likes to fill in everywhere else.
“I’ve got an incredible stat for you, he is the first player to win a Premier League, a Champions League, an FA Cup and World Cup all in the same season, that’s phenomenal.
“They’ve obviously got a lot of faith and trust in him as well.
“17 goals he scored last season. 17 goals is more than probably 16 teams’ top goalscorer.
“That’s what we’re talking about here, it’s just the fact that Erling Haaland went on an absolutely crazy run and scored a stupid amount of goals that it just gets overlooked a little bit.
“But 17 goals as a second striker is some return.”
Julian Alvarez has been a key figure for City this season
In his debut season with Pep Guardiola’s side, the Argentine started 23 of the 49 games he appeared in across all competitions, scoring 17 goals, as Foster mentioned and providing five assists.
This time around, the 24-year-old has started 37 of the 48 games he’s played in prior to tonight’s Premier League match against Brighton & Hove Albion, finding the back of the net 16 times and supplying 13 assists.
This shows that Alvarez has been a much more prominent figure in the City team this season than he was last year.
Having also been able to show off his versatility across the pitch, this has led to him delivering more goal contributions as a result.
In our view, regardless of whether or not he was overshadowed by Haaland last season, Alvarez has proven himself capable of being a key figure for his side.
