Out-of-favour midfielder Kalvin Phillips produced an “excellent” performance against Robert Lewandowski as a defender in Barcelona vs Manchester City, Jack Grealish has said.
Phillips had been spotted working as a right-sided centre-back for the first time in training in the build-up to the game in Orlando, spending the entirety of the match in the position as the only City player aside from right-back Rico Lewis not to be replaced.
“He was so good,” Grealish told City’s official website. “It’s a new position for him but he was excellent, especially coming up against one of the best centre-forwards in the world in the second half. I thought he was brilliant.”
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Man City US tour: Phillips experiment
Former England international Phillips has rarely played for City since signing for £42 million from Leeds United in July 2022 and struggled to establish himself in West Ham’s starting line-up during a loan spell for the second half of the 2023/24 season.
The 28-year-old was unconvincing in City’s defeats to Celtic and Milan on their pre-season US tour but his revised role – initially alongside Josko Gvardiol – could give Phillips a path into manager Pep Guardiola’s reckoning.
Grealish, who joined 19-year-old midfielder Nico O’Reilly in scoring City’s equalisers in their 2-2 draw with Barca in Orlando, praised the squad’s younger players and responded to Guardiola’s satisfaction with the “aggression” he had shown as a goal threat.
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Grealish: ‘I want goals’
“We had the better of the chances,” he said. “Credit to the young guys who’ve come here and shown great attitude.
“I can’t speak highly enough of some of these young lads. They’re such good guys and very down to earth.
“People know what I’m about but I want to show that I’m back fit and playing with the confidence I have.
“Bernardo [Silva] and I are kind of different to other wingers we have in our team – Jeremy [Doku] and Oscar [Bobb].
“We like to hold the ball and keep on to the ball. I want to get more goals and assists, like anyone does.”
Grealish struck emphatically in the culmination of a City counter-attack featuring a blistering Mateo Kovacic run before the Spanish giants won a penalty shoot-out courtesy of Ander Astralaga’s saves from Phillips and Jacob Wright.
Man City fixtures, schedule
City face Chelsea in Ohio on Saturday (10.30pm BST) before returning to England to meet Manchester United in the Community Shield on August 10 (3pm).
Their Premier League season starts at Chelsea on August 18 (4.30pm), with their first home game against Ipswich Town six days later (3pm).
