Manchester City have today lost for the second game running in the Premier League against Arsenal.
The Citizens have lost to a late deflected goal by Gabriel Martinelli.
City shaded the game, but ultimately just couldn’t really create meaningful chances.
A draw probably would have been a fair result, but it was Arsenal who took all three points in pretty annoying fashion.
Martinelli’s effort would likely have been saved by Ederson had it not hit Nathan Ake.
But City just didn’t do enough to win, and paid the price for not being creative or dangerous enough.
And it was yet another game where City struggled without Rodri.
And one must be wondering what on earth Kalvin Phillips must be thinking, after not featuring at all today.
Today was a reminder that Pep Guardiola just doesn’t trust Kalvin Phillips
Today, Pep went with Mateo Kovacic and Rico Lewis as his holding midfielders, with Lewis given a bit more freedom to get forward as was the case in midweek against RB Leipzig.
Kovacic should have been sent off in the first-half for a challenge on Martin Odegaard and then on Declan Rice.
Pep decided not to take him off at half-time, which was strange given the very thin tightrope he was walking.
And then, when Pep actually was ready to take Kovacic off, he put on Matheus Nunes instead.
John Stones, who is not match sharp was also preferred to Phillips, replacing Lewis.
And there would not even be a late cameo for Phillips.
Today was very much a reminder than Guardiola does not trust Phillips. Not really.
The £45 million signing is the natural replacement for Rodri, and should be playing when the Spaniard is not available.
But he’s not getting the nod, and he never really has.
Even today, with Kovacic clearly a massive risk on his yellow card, he was overlooked. The fact Pep turned to Stones, making his comeback, before him says a lot.
It is getting increasingly difficult to see how the ‘intelligent’ Phillips can stay at the club beyond January.
Surely, he has to seek an exit from the club.
His desire to make it work at the Etihad is admirable. But he may well now just be flogging a dead horse.
At this point, a lot of City fans would not begrudge him trying to leave. He is a very likeable person and a good player, it’s a shame to see him rotting on a bench.
