Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola issues apology to Kalvin Phillips for 'overweight' comment

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola publicly apologises to Kalvin Phillips for commenting on the midfielder's weight after the Qatar World Cup.

Pep Guardiola has issued an apology to Kalvin Phillips for publicly stating that the midfielder returned from the Qatar World Cup overweight. The remark was made during a press conference in December 2022 when Guardiola omitted Phillips from a Carabao Cup match against Liverpool.

Phillips, currently on loan to West Ham, recently shared with the Observer that the comment affected his confidence, stating, "After the World Cup was probably the toughest when Pep came out and said I was overweight." Guardiola expressed regret during a Monday press conference, acknowledging the misunderstanding and offering a public apology to Phillips, emphasising that he had spoken to the player privately before the public comment.

Looking ahead to Tuesday's Premier League clash with Brentford, Guardiola also addressed an incident involving Kyle Walker and Neal Maupay during a previous match, noting that emotions sometimes flare up in football but that the matter had been resolved through communication. Reflecting on his own playing days, Guardiola mentioned that he, too, was prone to verbal exchanges on the pitch.

The upcoming fixture against Brentford is a game in hand for third-placed Manchester City, providing an opportunity to close the gap on leaders Liverpool and second-placed Arsenal. Guardiola's team, currently four and two points behind the respective leaders, aims to rebound after an 11-match winning streak was halted by a 1-1 draw with Chelsea over the weekend.