Pep Guardiola has said he left Kalvin Phillips out of the Carabao Cup win over Liverpool because the player was “overweight” and added he will speak to the midfielder privately.
After being part of England’s World Cup squad, the 27-year-old was given a break but when he returned to City he was not fit to train, according to the manager. Phillips’ England team-mates in Qatar – Phil Foden, Jack Grealish and John Stones – all played against Liverpool while Kyle Walker was an unused substitute, but the former Leeds midfielder didn’t even make the template of the day.
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“He’s not injured,” Guardiola said. “He came in overweight. I don’t know [why]. He didn’t arrive in condition to train and play.” Asked if it was a surprise as Phillips had been with England and the national team’s nutritionist department, who should have ensured he stayed in top form, the manager said: “Absolutely. [this should be the case]. That’s why he can’t play. When he’s ready, he’ll play, because we need him, we need him a lot.”
Guardiola would not be disappointed that Phillips is not fit, saying only that “it is a private conversation with Kalvin”.
It is the latest setback for Phillips at City after he signed from Leeds United in the summer for an initial £42m on a six-year deal. After making three substitute appearances in August and September, the recurrence of a shoulder problem he suffered at Leeds forced him to undergo surgery and he was subsequently ruled out for two months.
Phillips made just one more appearance for City, as a 50th-minute substitute in November’s 2-0 Carabao Cup win against Chelsea at the Etihad Stadium, before Gareth Southgate named him in England’s 26-man squad players for Qatar 2022. He played there twice, in the 3-0 group win against Wales and 3-0 in the round of 16 against Senegal.
City’s next game is Wednesday’s trip to Leeds, but it is unclear whether he will be available for the squad to face his former club. City then host Everton on New Year’s Eve before playing Chelsea twice in a row – at Stamford Bridge on January 5 in the league and three days later at home in the FA Cup.