It was a eulogy from Pep Guardiola about a midfielder. He reflected on the excellence he can show when in a deeper role and celebrated his goalscoring exploits. He said how keen he is to keep him and that the club hierarchy know that. He was hailing Ilkay Gundogan, understandably after a tour de force. Just as predictably, Kalvin Phillips was not the object of his affection. The German’s afternoon at Goodison Park brought two goals. The Englishman’s brought two minutes of football. One could be bound for Barcelona on a free transfer in a couple of months. The other still has five years left on his Manchester City contract. Perhaps, when Gundogan plays as majestically as he has against Leeds and Everton, it is unfair to compare anyone to him. Yet in effect, Guardiola had to when Rodri sat out the games against Sheffield United and Leeds; on each occasion, he opted for Gundogan to anchor the midfield. Phillips was supposed to be the specialist defensive midfielder. Instead, he is the specialist substitute. Rodri is the most overworked member of City’s squad, with 4104 minutes under his belt. It is in part because Phillips has been trusted with just 407. Some 55 games into City’s season, Phillips has started just two: against a Bristol City team in the Championship and a Southampton side bound for that division. Guardiola’s side lost at St Mary’s, in their worst performance of the season, in the Carabao Cup. A bit-part role is not explained purely by a shoulder injury in autumn. City have scored 92 league goals, but none with Phillips on the pitch; indeed, they have a negative goal difference during his outings. Leicester scored one, and came close to getting three, after Phillips’ introduction a month ago; the midfielder described his own performance as “a bit of a stinker”. Since then, votes of no confidence have come from Guardiola, with cameos that have begun so late that nothing could go wrong: he came on injury time against West Ham, with a three-goal lead, slightly earlier at Goodison, and with the same scoreline. Scan Phillips’ season and Guardiola often brings him on so late he is destined to be the no-impact substitute: he was also introduced in injury time against Borussia Dortmund. He got one minute against West Ham in August, three against Arsenal in February, four against Chelsea in January, nine at Southampton, 12 against Sevilla, 13 at Wolves. A total of 17 appearances feels deceptive; even then, 161 of his minutes have come in the FA Cup. He may be having the worst treble-winning season ever, remembered in part for Guardiola branding him overweight after the World Cup. And if many could envy the medal collection he may soon have, Phillips in a better state could be the endearing success story – the ‘Yorkshire Pirlo’ who was transformed by Guardiola’s hero Marcelo Bielsa, integral for England on their run to the final of Euro 2020. Now he seems an afterthought, City’s third-choice defensive midfielder – fourth-choice if John Stones’ reinvention puts him ahead of Phillips – getting token appearances and meaningless minutes. For a while, it was possible to take solace in history. Many a player has flourished in his second season under Guardiola, after belatedly adjusting to his complex demands. Yet, even without being automatic choices, they were not marginalised. Bernardo Silva’s maiden season brought 53 appearances; 35 of them were in the Premier League, where he played 1520 minutes. Thus far, Phillips has played 105. Riyad Mahrez’s debut campaign brought 1338 top-flight minutes, Jack Grealish’s 1917, Rodri’s 2488. Each kicked on thereafter but, seemed with the benefit of hindsight, it was apparent he had a part in the manager’s long-term plans. It seems less likely that Phillips does; 10 days ago, Guardiola refused to confirm he will be at the Etihad Stadium next season and said the £42m man had to earn his confidence. So far, he has not. All of which feels more damning given Guardiola’s playing days and his status as the godfather of the midfielder. Rejection should be more painful. It could provide City with more of a problem, too. With Gundogan likely to go to Barcelona, with the prospect of another summer of interest from the Nou Camp in Silva, Phillips may present an unwanted problem; likely to be pursued elsewhere in the Premier League but adding to City’s need for reinforcements. As players of the calibre of Ronaldinho, Deco and Zlatan Ibrahimovic can testify, Guardiola can be swift to exile even the most distinguished; as Joao Cancelo knows to his cost, he can still be ruthless. Phillips faces a different form of public humiliation, embarrassed by the brevity of his contributions. He could finish the season with more medals than starts but, in a strange way, it would be a sign of how his move has gone wrong. Read More Man City being driven to title by man of the moment – and it’s not Erling Haaland It’s not necessary what he does – Pep Guardiola hits out at Everton’s Yerry Mina Kevin De Bruyne is Man City’s man for the big occasion but has he met his match?

Jeremy Doku is convinced Manchester City are the best and is determined to prove it. The Belgium winger shone as the champions got back to winning ways in the Premier League on Saturday with a hard-fought 2-1 success over Brighton at the Etihad Stadium. Doku created City’s opening goal for Julian Alvarez and was a constant threat on the left as City put the successive defeats they suffered prior to the international break behind them. Doku, a £55million summer signing from Rennes, said: “It was very important – not only for the table but also just for us in our heads. “It was a difficult game but we are a good team, the best team for me and we have to prove it every time, every game we are on the pitch. Here, we did it.” City looked to be cruising to victory after Alvarez’s seventh goal of the campaign on seven minutes was followed by a clinical strike from Erling Haaland 12 minutes later. Doku, who gave veteran former City player James Milner a particularly torrid time, twice curled efforts narrowly over as the hosts threatened more. The Seagulls rallied after the break Ansu Fati gave them hope with a reply 17 minutes from time. City were then left clinging on after Manuel Akanji was sent off for a second bookable offence in stoppage time, a dismissal that means he will now miss next weekend’s Manchester derby. “Some games like this are difficult but we kept on going,” said Doku. “It was 10 against 11 at the end but we showed that we are there mentality, so aggressive. “We’re happy with the result after some difficult results that we had the past weeks. It was important mentally and I hope we can keep on going like this.” For Brighton, the result was compounded by the loss of Danny Welbeck and Solly March to injury, the pair joining an already lengthy casualty list that includes Julio Enciso, Jakub Moder, Pervis Estupinan and Tariq Lamptey. Yet after being outplayed in the first half, the visitors can take confidence from their recovery in the second period. Goalkeeper Jason Steele said: “It was a game of two halves. In the first half we didn’t play good, nowhere near good enough for our level. “In the second half I think we showed what we’re about a lot more. We were braver, we pressed better and that was the big difference. “We had the chances in the second half to definitely get a point and ultimately we didn’t, so we leave disappointed. “But with the second-half performance, at least we showed ourselves a little bit more.” Read More Newcastle boss Eddie Howe praises ‘ultimate professional’ Jacob Murphy Erik ten Hag says Harry Maguire ‘playing like we want him to’ Ange Postecoglou praises ‘professional’ Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg David Beckham leads tributes to ‘national hero’ Sir Bobby Charlton Collin Morikawa returns to winning ways with six-shot victory in Japan Tributes paid to ‘giant of the game’ Sir Bobby Charlton after his death at 86

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Pep Guardiola has no issues selling players to rivals because Manchester City are not a “small club”. The champions come up against two of their recent former players in Cole Palmer and Raheem Sterling as they travel to Chelsea in the Premier League on Sunday. Palmer left City for Stamford Bridge in August having grown frustrated at a lack of game time under Guardiola, a year after Sterling also moved there for a fresh challenge. Both went with the club’s blessing, as did Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko when they joined Arsenal – and fuelled a strong charge at City’s crown – last year. Some managers might be uncomfortable with at sales that effectively strengthen clubs in direct competition, but Guardiola insists it has “never ever” bothered him. The City boss said: “From my point of view, I give my opinion to the club but after that the club has to decide if the transfer is good for both sides and for the player. “But never ever (has it been an issue). I think that means you are a small club. Big clubs make decisions for the benefit for all three parties: players, both clubs – and agents sometimes. Really, it’s not a problem. “So if they want to go to Chelsea or (Manchester) United or, I don’t know, Liverpool or whatever, what is the problem? They are happy to be there, the club is happy for the transfer. “Another player would come and we’d keep going: good spirit, good mood, and try to do it.” City had high hopes for 21-year-old midfielder Palmer, who came through their youth system. He was a member of the squad that won the treble last season and started the current campaign strongly with goals in the Community Shield and European Super Cup matches. It looked like he could get more opportunities following the departure of Riyad Mahrez but he opted to move on regardless, joining Chelsea in a £42.5million deal. So far he has impressed at the London club and Guardiola accepts his decision to move appears to have paid off. He said: “They moved from here because they wanted to play and, if they play, the decision made has been good. “So Raheem, since he left, plays always and Cole, since he left, is playing always. So they took good decisions. “Cole accepted some process but after one or two years he said, ‘I don’t want to stay here because I’m not going to play’. “I said, ‘But Riyad is leaving, you have a chance’. He said, ‘I’m not going to play here. I’m going to leave’. “OK, leave. He got what he wanted. It’s good for him. He’s a huge talent. Otherwise he would not have been here.” Read More It is hard to overtake Manchester City under Pep Guardiola – Mauricio Pochettino Rob Page: Harry Wilson has been one of Wales’ main men since Gareth Bale retired Kieran Trippier confronted by angry Newcastle fans after defeat at Bournemouth She’s a tough cookie – Jodie Burrage backed to bounce back from nightmare debut Sean Dyche: Everton are starting to show belief on the road after latest win Mikel Arteta: ‘I’m completely with referees’

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