Phil Foden and the Manchester City player’s family were the subject of an abusive attack on Saturday night at Manchester’s AO Arena which has caused shock at his club, after a video of the incident was circulated on social media.
Foden and a woman believed to be his mother, Claire, were shown in the film being hounded in the backstage area of the venue before they and their entourage entered a private box for refuge.
The woman emerged a moment later and, after a scuffle, is seen being hit by a man, following which a fight occurred.
It is understood that directly before the episode shown in the footage, Foden – who was attending a boxing event headlined by Amir Khan and Kell Brook on Saturday night – had been harassed by a group of people whom he had tried to ignore.
A City statement said: “The club is aware of a video which has circulated on social media showing Phil Foden and his family being harassed and abused. We are shocked and appalled [by] the nature of the abuse and ensuing assault on one of Phil’s family members. We will continue to give Phil and his family all the support and assistance they need.”
Foden was one of a contingent of City players at Manchester Arena for the Khan-Brook fight who had attended following their earlier 3-2 Premier League defeat by Tottenham.
The attack occurred after the bout and is understood to have caused Foden and his family and friends particular distress due to their view that they were completely blameless during the incident.
After making his debut as a 17‑year‑old in November 2017, Foden has become a key member of Pep Guardiola’s team, winning three Premier League titles, four League Cups, and an FA Cup. Last season he was voted the Professional Footballers’ Association Young Player of the Year.
In a statement given to the Guardian, Greater Manchester Police said: “GMP are aware of a video circulating on social media showing a disturbance at the AO arena last night (19 February 2022). We are conducting some further enquiries into the circumstances surrounding the incident.”
It is understood the police have not received any report, and so are acting proactively.
