Keys slams Guardiola for 'exposing' Man City star Kalvin Phillips to 'ridiculous' overweight 'crime'

Richard Keys has slammed Man City manager Pep Guardiola for criticizing Kalvin Phillips for his 'overweight' World Cup return.

City manager Guardiola was initially vague when asked why the 27-year-old England international didn't even make the bench for Thursday's Carabao Cup tie against Liverpool.

Guardiola simply said the player was out of shape and not in the right conditions to train after joining City's squad.

However, pressed further after Man City's 3-2 win over the Reds at the Etihad Stadium, Guardiola made it clear that the injured Phillips had not received another knock.

He said, "He's not injured. He arrived overweight. I don't know (why). He didn't arrive in condition to practice and play."

When asked if he thought there was a problem with England's training regime, Guardiola replied: "No, no, absolutely (not).

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"When he's ready, he'll play, because we need him, we need him a lot. This is a private conversation with Kalvin."

Reacting to Guardiola's comments about Phillips, Keys took to the back page of the Daily Mirror and asked why the Man City boss felt the need to 'ridicule' Phillips for this 'crime'.

Keys said on Twitter: "I wonder why Guardiola exposed Phillips to ridicule for this 'crime'.

"Never a word when he used to kick [Sergio] Aguero out for the same infraction. Weird."

But Aguero revealed in October that Guardiola once deemed him too overweight to play, the Argentina legend said: "If your ideal weight is 79-80kg and you weigh 80 kilos and 100 grams, you would be fined and you don't play.

"But it can happen! You come across a small piece of chicken for example then you will have 50 grams more!"

When asked if Guardiola ever benched him because he was too 'big', Aguero added: "Well, the first season we were between the fourth and third and he said "I left you out because you got fat this week. '

"And what was I going to say? He was right…these things happen.

"He said it well. And at the time, I didn't really trust him. But I've always been very respectful to the coaches."

Man City return to the Premier League on December 28 when they travel to Elland Road to take on Leeds United.

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