Manchester City midfielder “ready” to make full debut, confirms Pep Guardiola

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has insisted that Kalvin Phillips is “ready” to make his first start for the Premier League champions.

Phillips completed a £42 million move from Leeds United in the summer, one of six additions to Manchester City’s first-team squad.

The 27 year-old, who was part of Gareth Southgate’s squad at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, has seen his start to life at the Etihad Stadium hampered by injury and had to undergo surgery in September.

Phillips has also had to overcome recent fitness concerns, with City manager Pep Guardiola revealing that the midfielder had returned to the club following the World Cup “overweight.”

The Englishman featured from the bench in wins against Chelsea in the Premier League and Emirates FA Cup, replacing Rodri on both occasions.

Guardiola is now set to hand the former Leeds player his first Manchester City start, with the Blues travelling to St Mary’s to face Southampton in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday.

Speaking ahead of the match, the Catalan said: “He’s always ready. He needed time for tactical aspects but he’s ready.”

“We have to see [if he will start] but I think he’s an intelligent player normally holding midfielders, so clever.

“He has indicated at Leeds with Bielsa the commitment of every training session and every game. But there are patterns and movements and you need game time.”

City are bidding to win the Carabao Cup for a fifth time under the management of Guardiola, with the Blues one of seven Premier League teams to have reached the quarter-final stages.

The Daily Mail reported on Monday that Phillips is in line to make his full debut, with the Catalan mindful of offering Rodri a rest.