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EXCLUSIVEAccess all areas in Man City's world-leading academy: JACK GAUGHAN reveals the secrets of their success including AI, basketball and strict rules on phones, socks and boots

Related Topics: Craig Mudd, Ben Wilkinson, Phil Foden

Manchester City’s academy auditorium, with its blue leather seats and walls depicting different stands of the Etihad Stadium, is just up some stairs from the gym.

The gym is effectively a shrine to Phil Foden – huge pictures, this is who you could be - and has a glass ceiling leading up to the second floor, where the Under 19s currently stand with the chatter of a school hallway.

They’re waiting to head into the small theatre, basically a large cinema room, to hear from their coach Ben Wilkinson 54 hours out from a UEFA Youth League tie on the outskirts of Amsterdam in which they batter AZ Alkmaar, miss a penalty, but lose when conceding their first shot on target in the 94th minute.