‘Doesn’t trust him’ - Roy Keane gives verdict on out-of-favour Man City star as January speculation escalates

Former Manchester Utd captain Roy Keane has given his brutal verdict on an out-of-favour England international as speculation continues to intensify over a January move.

Keane appeared on an episode of the Stick To Football podcast alongside ex-professionals Gary Neville, Jamie Carragher, Ian Wright and Jill Scott. During the conversation the panel became focused on a heated debate involving Kalvin Phillips and his future at Manchester City.

Phillips has struggled for game time since making the move from Leeds United to Man City in the summer of 2022 and has made a combined total of just 15 Premier League appearances, with the majority of those coming from the bench. The 28-time England international has also fallen down the pecking order with the international team and is no longer a regular fixture in the starting line-up of Gareth Southgate’s side.

Speculation over Phillips’ future has been amplified in recent weeks as he was left out of the City starting lineup for a key game against title challengers Arsenal, despite the absence of key midfielder Rodri, who usually occupies a starting spot. Guardiola instead opted to play youngster Rico Lewis in the midfield role.

Phillips was once regarded as one of the most talented defensive midfielders in England and was rewarded with the country’s Player of The Year award in 2021. But Keane believes there is one key factor which is stopping him from starting for Man City.

He explained: “[Guardiola] doesn’t trust him. He’s had a couple of chances. He played a few weeks ago. But he didn’t play him in the big game with all the injuries. He played at Newcastle two or three weeks ago in the cup game, and he didn’t do too much good. He didn’t do enough. You’ve got to win the manager’s trust. He [Guardiola] works with him every day in training. There’s a reason why he’s not playing and he doesn’t trust him.

"He watched him against Newcastle two weeks ago in a cup match and obviously went ‘I don’t like what I see’. So when it got to the Arsenal game he said ‘I don’t trust you’. He doesn’t believe he can do a job for him.”

ESPN reports that Phillips is considering his future at Man City in January and adds that the Yorkshire born midfielder is having his doubts about whether he will ever be a part of Guardiola’s first team. The outlet adds that Phillips is keen to retain his place in the England setup ahead of next summer’s European Championships in Germany.

The likes of Newcastle United, Bayern Munich and even Everton have been linked with a move for the midfielder who has been left on the fringes of Pep Guardiola’s lineup.