Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola expresses regret for his remarks about Kalvin Phillips following the World Cup.

Guardiola admitted that Phillips arrived overweight and was not in the condition to train or play.

The 28-year-old, who is currently on loan at West Ham from City, revealed that Guardiola’s comments had a negative impact on his confidence. Phillips had a short break after the World Cup, where England reached the semi-finals before losing to France. Guardiola and Phillips had a conversation upon his return to Manchester.

Guardiola, speaking to the media ahead of City’s match against Brentford, expressed his regret for his comments. He apologized to Phillips, stating that he never usually speaks about players in such a way. He clarified that he had spoken to Phillips before making the comments to the media.

In an interview with The Guardian, Phillips acknowledged that Guardiola was right to address the issue but believed there were better ways to handle it. He explained that Guardiola was frustrated with him for coming back 1.5kg over his weight target.

Phillips, who was signed by City from Leeds United for £42 million in July 2022, has struggled to secure regular playing time during his 18-month spell at the club. He has only made two Premier League starts. Despite being contracted to City, Phillips is currently on loan at West Ham until the end of the season. He has been a consistent presence in Gareth Southgate’s England squads.