Phil Foden will be the 'best player in England' according to Steven Gerrard

Steven Gerrard has pinpointed Phil Foden as the reason that Manchester City are so strong, despite the fact he probably won't start the Champions League final.

No one is exactly going around doubting just how good City are having already won the Premier League for the third year in-a-row, and added the FA Cup this season.

On Saturday night the team will be hoping to capture their first ever crown as European champions and Pep Guardiola looking for his first Champions League title since 2011.

If they manage it the comparisons between themselves and the Treble winning Manchester United side of 1999 will only grow louder.

This year's United team messed up their own chance to stop City from taking their club's crown as the only English side to have won the aforementioned triple.

Rio Ferdinand thought Arsenal should have done it in the league but over a one game cup final last weekend it was Erik ten Hag's side that had the best chance.

In that game the sight of the brilliant Julian Alvarez staying on the bench whilst United turned to Wout Weghorst was a stark reminder at the difference between the two sides.

Speaking ahead of Saturday night's game against Inter Milan, Liverpool legend Gerrard thinks it's the lack of Foden in the starting line up that proves Guardiola's side's strength.

"The best sign of all is that Phil Foden can’t get in the starting XI," the 2005 Champions League winner explained on BT Sport.

"Because for me, he’s going to be the best player in the country. For me, he’s a phenomenal little footballer.

Foden has been on the bench quite a bit recently. Image: Alamy

"He’s got incredible talent, ability, balance.

"If he can’t get in the XI it shows how strong this City team are because for me he walks into any other team, probably in European football."

With the incredible amount of talent at Guardiola's disposal it means that he's always left with world class players such as Foden, Alvarez and Riyad Mahrez ready to come on and make an impact.

Some fans have recently called for the Englishman to be taken away from Pep and allowed to play centrally in a less structured team.

However the 23-year-old has still scored 11 goals and made five assists in 32 league games in the campaign, including 22 starts.

He was only only the bench towards the end of the season after injury and illness post World Cup forced him onto the sidelines and the form of others in his place made it difficult for him to get back in.