Man City boss Pep Guardiola on Kalvin Phillips’ fitness: ‘He’s not injured, he arrived overweight’ | Football News
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola claims England midfielder Kalvin Phillips returned from the World Cup “overweight” and “not in the right condition to train”.
The summer signing from Leeds had made just four substitute appearances this season because of a shoulder injury and was initially a doubt to make Gareth Southgate’s England squad.
While Phillips’ England team-mates John Stones, Phil Foden and Jack Grealish all made appearances during Man City’s 3-2 Carabao Cup win over Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium, the midfielder, who played 40 minutes in two substitute appearances for in Qatar, was a surprise omission from the squad.
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Highlights of the Carabao Cup fourth-round match between Manchester City and Liverpool.
When asked why Phillips wasn’t in the right shape to feature against Liverpool, Guardiola said: “He’s not injured. He arrived overweight. I don’t know [why].
“He didn’t arrive in the condition to do training sessions and to play.”
A reporter went on to ask: “But he has been away with England, with nutritionists, etc…?”
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Phillips played just 40 minutes for England in Qatar
Guardiola responded: “No, no, no, no. Absolutely. That’s why he cannot play. When he will be ready, he will play, because we need him, we need him a lot.”
When asked if that was disappointing, Guardiola added: “It’s a private conversation with Kalvin.”
Guardiola is also without another World Cup star, although for slightly more legitimate reasons after he picked up a hamstring injury in his last game for Portugal in Qatar.
“Ruben Dias is injured. Ruben has a hamstring from the last game in the World Cup and he is out,” he added.
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