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Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola spoke about Kalvin Phillips with the midfielder training with the first team
Kalvin Phillips will not feature for Manchester City against Huddersfield - but Pep Guardiola did not rule out a comeback at the Etihad this season.
Phillips was signed in 2022 to provide competition for Rodri in midfield but the signing never worked out, and he has spent most of the last two years on loan. A summer move was expected, only for Achilles surgery at the beginning of the window to ruin any chance of another opportunity.
Having stayed at the Etihad despite not being part of City's plans, Phillips is training with the first team as he works his way back from injury. Wednesday's Carabao Cup game with Huddersfield could have possibly been an opportunity for minutes, but the 29-year-old is in London with his partner ahead of the birth of their second child.
Guardiola suggested that Phillips could yet make an unlikely return to City matchdays, even if that prospect remains remote.
"Today he is in London because he will be a father for the second time," Guardiola said. "He's coming back, training with us and we will see what happens.
"He's coming from surgery so now has to make training sessions and maybe some minutes in some games."
Phillips will be far from the only absentee in West Yorkshire as City make a number of changes for the League Cup game. Guardiola would like to make more, but is restricted by the injuries in the squad.
Mateo Kovacic has been missing since Achilles surgery in the summer and is expected to return next month, while Rayan Cherki, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Omar Marmoush all picked up issues in recent weeks.
Erling Haaland and Abdukodir Khusanov had to be taken off with injury at Arsenal on Sunday and are not expected to feature against Huddersfield. Guardiola expects Haaland to be ready for Burnley at the weekend though.
"I didn't see him and the rest of the players yet today," he said. "Hopefully he can play at the weekend.
"It's been such a demanding week - the last game especially - and sometimes the players have problems. I think he will be fine for the weekend. I hope so."
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