“Play and help us” – Kalvin Phillips offered Manchester City career lifeline by Pep Guardiola | OneFootball

Pep Guardiola has handed a first-person lifeline to Kalvin Phillips at Manchester City during press conference duties this week.

Phillips’ time at the Etihad Stadium has been one of the most challenging stories in recent years, with the England international struggling to live up to the expectations that followed his £42 million move from Leeds United in 2022.

Despite arriving as one of the most highly regarded midfielders in the Premier League, the 28-year-old has faced a string of setbacks, including injuries, stiff competition from Rodri, and a style of play that has largely not always suited his strengths.

Over the last two seasons, his career path has seen two temporary exits in a bid to rediscover confidence and match sharpness, while those spells were mixed albeit demonstrating his determination to earn minutes and prove himself at the top level.

Returning to Manchester City this summer despite expectation of a permanent exit, Kalvin Phillips has reintegrated into the first-team group seamlessly, continuing to appear as a popular character on the training pitch.

And Pep Guardiola’s latest comments ahead of City’s Carabao Cup third round clash suggest Phillips is still firmly in consideration, at least as part of the wider squad rotation.

“Well, today [Tuesday] he is in London because he will be a father for the second time! So this is the future for Kalvin, right now,” Guardiola responded when asked what the future holds for Kalvin Phillips.

He continued, “He’s coming back, training with us. We’ll see what happens. Of course, he’s coming from an injury, from surgery, and now has to make training sessions and training sessions, and maybe some minutes in games!”

Further pressed on why Phillips’ career at Manchester City has somewhat stagnated, Guardiola explained, “It’s a good question; maybe because I didn’t give him enough minutes, I don’t know. In that moment Rodri was fit, in that moment Rodri was, what can I say? It looks like our father in that time, being protective for the other 10 sons.

“And maybe the lack of minutes, and maybe the way we played, it was completely maybe different from playing like in Leeds before with Marcelo [Bielsa], and the other one. Always I feel attached and understandable completely with the players, what they feel because always I believe in that level, in that level, all the players are really, really good.

“It’s just the environment, how they connect with the way we play, especially with other mates. And the players play good when they have minutes, they have games, games, games and I didn’t give them. And when that’s happened I feel bad, but he’s an incredible person, and has been injured, and two loan spells in West Ham and Ipswich, and now he’s come back here.”

Pep Guardiola closed by insisting, “So as much as he’s a player for Man City, he’ll train with us and we’ll try to help, and maybe this season changes, and maybe they can play some games and get confident and play and help us. So as much as he’s a player with us, always he’ll be with the first team training with us.”

The real question now is whether Kalvin Phillips can translate these supportive words into meaningful action on the pitch, with chances for rotation across the coming weeks and months, particularly in domestic cup ties and during periods of fixture congestion.

If Phillips can take those opportunities, he could force his way back into contention for more consistent minutes or perhaps a higher-profile transfer switch in the upcoming January transfer window.

For now, though, amid widespread transfer speculation surrounding the Englishman, Pep Guardiola’s words provide Kalvin Phillips with a timely reminder that his Manchester City chapter may not be closed just yet.