Phillips, who joined City from Leeds United within the shut season, underwent surgical procedure to repair a recurring shoulder difficulty and with Southgate naming his World Cup squad on Thursday, the 26-year-old is aware of he might have run out of time to safe a spot. City supervisor Pep Guardiola stated he would title him on the bench for Wednesday’s League Cup assembly with Chelsea, giving him one final likelihood to catch Southgate’s eye, and Phillips has no doubts that his damage woes are previously.

“The shoulder’s perfectly fine now,” Phillips advised the BBC. “I’ve gone by a seven-week strategy of recovering as quick as I presumably can for the World Cup. Everything goes nice.

“I’ve obviously not done it for quite a long time now but I’ve kept my fitness up and I’d like to think I could play 90 minutes.” City’s Premier League recreation in opposition to Brentford on Saturday is their final outing earlier than the season pauses for the World Cup in Qatar, the place England open their marketing campaign in opposition to Iran on Nov. 22.

“I spoke to Gareth (after surgery) and told him about my situation,” stated Phillips. “I said I understood if he didn’t select me but he reassured me that, ‘as long as you’re fit enough and you prove you’re progressing well, there’s always a chance you’ll be called up’. “I’ve done everything in my power to be as fit as possible and hopefully I’ll be involved.”