Kalvin Phillips has played his last game for Man City after ‘humiliating’ development – pundit
Kalvin Phillips has played his last game for Man City after his fitness was called into question by Pep Guardiola.
That’s according to former Hibernian striker Tam McManus, speaking exclusively to Football Insider about the City manager’s latest comments.
As quoted by Sky Sports (25 December), Guardiola claimed Phillips, 27, returned from the World Cup “overweight” and “not in the right condition to train”.
The England international was omitted from Man City’s League Cup squad that beat Liverpool on Thursday (22 December).
However, he did return to the bench for City’s 3-1 win over Leeds on Wednesday (28 December).
McManus is now backing the midfielder to leave the club.
“I think Pep was right to come out and say that. He has every right if he thinks one of his players isn’t at the right level,” McManus told Football Insider‘s Ben Wild.
“Players have come back from the World Cup, not all of them have played. You go away, you don’t play, you don’t have the match fitness.
“I’m sure the training with England wasn’t as intensive as Man City training. I think he has just come back slightly overweight but Pep isn’t happy with him.
“He’s had a real public blast at him and that will be humiliating for the player as well. He wants to play at the very highest level and, for me, the best team and manager in the world.
“He has to be bang at it in terms of fitness. I think that’s the end of him at Man City.
“I think he will now go somewhere else.”
In other news, Erling Haaland expected to stay at Man City for ‘seven years’ as ‘offer’ suggested.