‘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.

Phillips looks likely to leave City despite only arriving on a big-money deal from Leeds United in the summer of 2022 having struggled for regular football under Pep Guardiola.

The 28-time England international was meant to be the ideal cover for Rodri in the holding midfield role, but he has not convinced Guardiola of his abilities, struggling to fit into the Spaniard’s system of play at the Etihad Stadium.

Guardiola spoke recently about how he has failed to get the best out of the England international, who, he says, suited Marcelo Bielsa’s system much better.

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.

Keane has been speaking about the situation, telling the Overlap : “[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.”