Sky pundit Alan Smith today said that Kalvin Phillips will surely be hoping to leave Manchester City in January, as Sky cameras captured him looking very forlorn on the bench at Luton Town.
City ran out 2-1 winners today in the Premier League at Kenilworth Road, showing good character to come from behind.
After conceding just before half-time to an Elijah Adebayo goal, City turned things around with Bernardo Silva and Jack Grealish both scoring for the visitors.
The hosts were fortunate to finish the game with 11 men after Jacob Brown jumped into a challenge with Phil Foden, which Gary Neville said should have resulted in a red card.
It’s back to winning ways for City – but there was once again zero involvement for Kalvin Phillips, and the England man’s demeanor did not go unnoticed today…
Alan Smith predicts Kalvin Phillips will leave as Sky cameras capture forlorn Manchester City midfielder at Luton
Today, Rodri was back available for City after he was suspended against Aston Villa.
He started, and was joined by Mateo Kovacic at holding midfield, with Foden operating as an attacking midfielder in behind Julian Alvarez.
In the second-half, Guardiola replaced Kovacic with Matheus Nunes but there was no call for £150,000-a-week man Phillips once again.
In the 97th minute, Sky cameras panned to a very glum-looking Phillips on the City bench, which prompted Smith to say: “Yeah I mean, surely in January we;ll see a move for him. He’ll be hoping so, I would imagine. For his England career, he’s got the Euros to think about.
“It’s not happened for him at City.”
Smith’s comments come after Guardiola actually apologised to Phillips this week for his lack of minutes. The Spaniard admitted that he just couldn’t see a way of getting the former Leeds United man into his starting XI.
Phillips has to go, it’s been obvious for a long time
Phillips simply has to leave the club in January because it is so clear at this point that Guardiola does not rate or trust him.
Smith is right, with the Euros coming up next year he has got to get out and go to a club where he will play regularly, because just lately his involvement with the national team has decreased.
It just hasn’t worked out for him at the Etihad. His stance of wanting to stay and fight for his place has been admirable – but he is barking up the wrong tree, with Guardiola simply not fancying what he brings to the table.
The player will have known for a while that he needs to leave, so hopefully he gets a great move in January and can get his career going again.
