Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips is set to undergo surgery on a persistent shoulder problem, it has been revealed.
The England international was absent from Pep Guardiola's squad this weekend.
However, it was reported at the time that Phillips was simply 'not fully fit' to make the game.
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Manchester City cruised to a 0-3 away victory over Wolves at Molineux on Saturday afternoon, courtesy of goals from Jack Grealish, Erling Haaland, and Phil Foden.
That win leaves City in a strong position heading in to the upcoming international break which will take place across the course of the coming two weeks.
While that was set to be an opportunity for Phillips to take on some much-needed game time under Gareth Southgate, the former Leeds midfielder has now suffered a significant setback.
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According to Tyrone Marshall of the Manchester Evening News, Kalvin Phillips is set for surgery on a persistent shoulder problem.
It is reported that Manchester City have been told that Phillips will almost certainly need surgery to correct the issue, and is set for a spell on the sidelines as a result.
As per the Manchester Evening News, and wider sources, Kalvin Phillips is now set to pull out of the England squad for September's upcoming UEFA Nations League games against Italy and Germany.
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From a personal perspective for Phillips, the most concerning aspect will be his hopes for the FIFA World Cup.
There had been a wide expectation that the Leeds-born midfielder's place in Gareth Southgate's squad would be somewhat of a foregone conclusion.
However, following surgery and his return to Manchester City training, Kalvin Phillips will have very few games to get back up to the necessary condition in order to perform in Qatar later this year.
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As for what this means for Manchester City, their squad is once again thinned and stretched during a crunch time of the season.
Pep Guardiola's squad take on eight games in October alone, including important clashes in the Champions League, the start of their Carabao Cup campaign, and the usual rolling list of intense Premier League fixtures.
Rodri would become Manchester City's only senior defensive midfielder, however a number of other players are in a position to fill the role.
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Just this weekend, John Stones was trialled briefly in the position at Wolves, while Ilkay Gundogan is known to have dropped deep in some games.
Topics: Kalvin Phillips, Manchester City, England, Premier League, Football, Football World Cup
Freddie Pye