Pep Guardiola Lays Out Integration Plan for Kalvin Phillips

One.

That’s the total number of minutes Kalvin Phillips has played Premier League football for Manchester City since joining the club. That definitely wasn’t the plan when the player left Leeds United in the summer. It has been a horror show so far, with the player sidelined for much of the first half of the season due to a shoulder injury.

After having an operation, he worked hard to be fit enough to make it to the World Cup. He watched from the bench as England battled up to the quarter-final before being eliminated by France.

Back at the Etihad Stadium, Pep Guardiola shocked many by saying Phillips returned from the tournament overweight. He reaction has been good, doubling up efforts in training.

The manager has now backtracked stating that the 27-year-old is fit and ready to go. But that’s just the starting point as he has a long way to go if he is to see sufficient game time. Guardiola has now laid down the pathway for the £45million signing to work his way into selection.

“Kalvin had been in the first part of the season out, had surgery to arrive to the World Cup. He did everything to get to the World Cup,” Guardiola said before the Leeds game.

“It’s not just about being fit. He has to understand what we want to do; the movements and many things, as quick as possible. Rodri cannot play all the games.

“I am happy that yesterday he trained really well and we are so happy for that and I am pretty sure sooner or later he will start to come in.”

At this point it is certain he is in the manager’s plans. It’s now up to him how he works his way into selection. With Rodri having been overworked since the beginning of the season, the opportunity to play will be there heading into the business end of the season.

Whether he will be ready for it and impress the manager when called upon is another matter.