Cole Palmer has been tipped to emulate Phil Foden after starring in Manchester City’s 4-1 win over Swindon in the FA Cup.

The 19-year-old started the game and scored as City, who were missing 20 players and staff – including manager Pep Guardiola and seven-first team players – due to Covid-19 – reached the FA Cup fourth-round with a comfortable victory.

Rodolfo Borrell led City in Guardiola’s absence and he was full of praise for Palmer.

“We have him training with us on a daily basis and he has great quality,” Borrell told ITV. “Everybody has been able to see it. He is still developing quite a lot but obviously there is a lot of talent there and hopefully soon he can play more minutes, like Phil Foden a couple of years ago.

“They are two great players and Cole has the ingredients, but let’s see. He has to keep working hard and perform consistently at that level.”

City had up to 20 players and staff members missing but still managed to field a very strong team with just four changes from their 2-1 win over Arsenal in the Premier League.

Bernardo Silva got the ball rolling on 14 minutes when finishing from close range following a lovely twisting run from the impressive Palmer, before Gabriel Jesus doubled the lead when Swindon unsuccessfully tried to play out from the back.

Ilkay Gundogan made it 3-0 when whipping a clever free-kick home from 30 yards and City could afford Jesus to miss a penalty three minutes later. Swindon’s vocal crowd were given a moment to remember with 12 minutes to go when Harry McKirdy scampered clear and finished neatly.

There was still time for Palmer to score his first FA Cup goal, curling home a tidy finish into the top corner from a tight angle. City now go into the hat for the fourth-round draw which takes place on Sunday.