Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola says Kalvin Philips arrived back to the club training session not in the best of shape.
Philips, who only played two matches in the World Cup for England all as a substitute, missed the Carabao Cup victory over Liverpool on Thursday.
“He is not injured. He arrived overweight,” said Guardiola.
When pressed why, Guardiola replied: “I don’t know.
“He didn’t arrive in the condition for the training sessions and to play.”
Philips has not started a match for City since he was signed from Leeds United at the beginning of the season due to an assortment of injuries and struggling to dislodge Rodri in the midfield.
He has appeared just once in the league, all coming on as substitutes for the Sky Blues against West Ham in August. In total, Phillips has figured in four appearances for City, all also from the bench.
Post the FIFA World Cup, City, who are second in the table and five points behind Arsenal, visit Philips’ former club Leeds on Tuesday at Elland Road.
Whether he will form part of the side for the trip in the West Yorkshire, remains to be seen but Guardiola is still counting on the holding midfielder going forward.
“When he will be ready, he will play,” he said.
“We need him. We need him a lot.”
