Manchester City host Sevilla at the Etihad Stadium in their final Champions League group game on Wednesday evening, but Kalvin Phillips doesn’t look like playing any part in the match after being ruled out by Pep Guardiola.
The 26-year-old has been recovering from a shoulder injury, undergoing surgery in September to fix the issue. He’s back training in grass but Guardiola said ahead of their midweek clash that he’s some distance away from playing again.
Where will Manchester City finish in the Premier League this season?
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th or lower
He revealed in Tuesday’s pre-match press conference: “He is doing partial sessions with the team. Contact not yet but we will see his evolution. We can’t use a player who is not ready. We need players in the best condition.” Phillips has made three appearances in all competitions this season, amassing a paltry 13 minutes of football.
He’s featured just once in the Premier League, getting one minute from the bench in their opening-day win over West Ham United. Phillips has played in just two of their Champions League outings too, so he’ll be short of match fitness when he does return.
It’s been seven weeks since the England international last played a game and it remains to be seen if he’ll be back before the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, so Guardiola might be without Phillips until mid-December.
Rodri is fit and in decent form, so City aren’t suffering in Phillips’ absence. But his debut campaign could hardly get worse after spending more time on the treatment table than the pitch.
In other news, Pep Guardiola delivers Erling Haaland injury update
The Vital Network is unique from other football content providers as all the sites are run by the fans, for the fans. We are looking for a writer to join our Manchester City site. If you can write well-constructed, thought-provoking opinion pieces alongside reporting on current events and breaking news then I want to hear from you. Email paddy@snack-media.com.
Can you name these Man City players from the 2000s? Test your knowledge, take the quiz and challenge your friends and family to beat your score