Kevin De Bruyne has predicted that Phil Foden will ultimately end up as a central midfielder after the Manchester City man destroyed rivals United.

England international Foden, 22, continued his excellent form with a hat-trick in Sunday’s 6-3 win at the Etihad Stadium, with Erling Haaland also hitting three.

It underlined Foden’s importance to Pep Guardiola’s team from what is typically a wide attacking position either on the left or the right.

But City’s Belgian star De Bruyne believes Foden will at some point return to the central midfield role he played when he first broke into the first team.

‘He will improve because he’s only 22. I know at 22 I wasn’t the player that I am now,’ De Bruyne said.

‘He’s so good so it’s trying to find consistency. He’s been playing unbelievable for us so he will be here for a long time.

‘What is he good at? The better question is what is he not good at. He can play in a lot of different positions.

‘I think he will end up playing centrally in my opinion. But in this moment in time it is maybe a little bit better for him on the wing.

‘Have more freedom and fewer instructions so he flows into the game.

‘I eventually see him playing more centrally when he gets older and gets more stamina. It’s all about the little details to just find more consistency in the performances.’

Foden has now scored five Premier League and one Champions League goal this season after Raheem Sterling’s departure for Chelsea over the summer opened up more opportunities out wide.

City are in ominous form and have won four consecutive matches as they prepare to take on Copenhagen in the Champions League on Wednesday night.

Guardiola’s team then host Southampton in the Premier League on Saturday.