“I have a lot of things to say and I have to say it out. I can’t hide it anymore. Am a new player here and I don’t care if they terminate my Contract just like dey did to Cancelo”-Kelvin Phillips speaks out on Pep Guardiola rumours in defiant post-match interview

Phillips backs up Pep’s remarks.
Kalvin Phillips made his first Champions League appearance for City, and only his sixth overall. However, his two Premier League starts and other two cup games have come when the outcome is unimportant or resting Rodri is more crucial. Guardiola apologised to Phillips last week for not playing him as much, claiming that when he looked at his team, he couldn’t imagine the England man in the midfield. It was a scathing comment, but Guardiola was overjoyed to be able to start Phillips in Serbia.

If it had been an opportunity for Phillips to prove his boss incorrect, Guardiola would have sat back knowing his own position had been reinforced rather than Phillips’. Mateo Kovacic was also requested to play deeper in a double pivot to provide more protection for Phillips, but it didn’t produce a more calm version of a player who still doesn’t know what to do when he has the ball. Phillips lost the ball far too often when he was too ponderous, leading to counter-attacks and, in one case, a clumsy yellow card. Late in the game, when In-beom Hwang had the freedom to bring one back for the hosts, he didn’t even try following him down.

Phillips’ quiet celebration after converting his penalty for his first goal in Blue seemed to mirror his standing within the group. His teammates were happy for him, but he simply walked away, scarcely smiling, and blowing a kiss to the spectators as his only acknowledgement. Despite the goal, Phillips’ position does not appear to have improved with his unusual start, with Kovacic looking steady and Matheus Nunes performing well. On the one hand, Phillips needs regular games to prove himself at City, but it appears that ship has gone, and January cannot arrive soon enough for the £42 million midfielder.

Hamilton does not waste his opportunity.
Tickets for the musical Hamilton, which is now performing at the Palace Theatre in Manchester, are selling like hotcakes this month, but the actual performance was taking place in Belgrade on Wednesday night. Micah Hamilton finished his City debut with a magnificent goal, and the travelling City fans in the Rajko Mitic Stadium were in the room where it happened. In Belgrade, he only needed one shot to make an impression, as he took on his defenceless full-back and fired into the roof of the net.

Hamilton, who was promoted from the academy, is the latest youngster to come into Pep Guardiola’s first squad, making his debut in Belgrade with former academy teammates Oscar Bobb and Rico Lewis. Both of them were the first to rush to Hamilton when he scored, ahead of the older players, who were as pleased for the winger.

Hamilton’s debut was brave, and he was non-stop on the right, blowing everyone away late in the game as he twisted and swirled like a cyclone in the box to win a penalty that proved decisive. After two bench appearances under Guardiola, the winger had to wait for his chance, but he displayed what City had been missing. His academy instructors refer to him as a “street footballer,” and he proved it in Belgrade. More like that, and his debut performance will not be his last. He was the main attraction at Red Star.

A historic night for the Academy
The full-time XI in Belgrade included five academy graduates, two of whom scored City’s two goals and two others who played significant parts in the treble season. If Foden and Rico Lewis were the individuals who City’s young players looked to for proof that there is a path to the first team, there is also an acknowledgement that those two are crazy talents. Oscar Bobb’s appearance for Guardiola this season adds to the academy’s recent accomplishments, with Hamilton’s debut being the most recent.

Bobb’s stunning first senior (club) goal and Player of the Match award demonstrated a confident player who has adjusted well to first team football this season. He’s now a Champions League and international goal scorer, and he provides City with a legitimate right-wing option. Hamilton, following his great debut, can do the same. The late cameo by Mahamadou Susoho completed the five CFA grads on the pitch. City supporters enjoy seeing their international, world-class players win trophies, but they equally enjoy seeing local guys and academy graduates break into the team and make a name for themselves.

With nothing to play for, these dead rubbers are easily forgotten or overlooked. City’s faith in the academy while still winning could have a long-term influence that extends beyond this season. Their children will understand that if they perform well, that path will always be available to them. Susoho, Hamilton, and Bobb will be the latest players to be used by coaches to drive the next generation of City first-teamers as they establish their own pathways.

Nunes demonstrates his potential.
Guardiola made nine changes to his Red Star team, and his three-man midfield of Kalvin Phillips, Mateo Kovacic, and Matheus Nunes all had a point to prove after struggling for game time in recent weeks. With Nunes advanced, Kovacic and Phillips functioned as a double pivot, and he laid out his intentions with a blistering run in the opening minutes. His perfectly timed pushed pass out to Micah Hamilton earned him an assist, something he has challenged himself to add more of.

He could have scored City’s first goal, but fluffed his lines six yards away, and was relieved to see the flag go up. Overall, it was a daring performance at ten, providing some poise to an inexperienced front line (not that Hamilton needed much assistance). However, his performance in the Red Star system highlighted the difficulty he will face in the City midfield.

Guardiola will rarely use a double pivot, and Nunes will have to battle for minutes at ten with Bernardo Silva, Phil Foden, Julian Alvarez, and Kevin De Bruyne. Guardiola believes Nunes has a vital role to play, and Kovacic believes he can be a significant contributor for City after a slow start. He’s certainly a good player, but when will he get another chance in his preferred position?

The left-back problem persists.
Sergio Gomez started at left-back, taking the place of Josko Gvardiol and Nathan Ake, and it was only his second appearance in that position in all competitions since January. Both Ake and Gvardiol have made efforts to secure the left-back position, with Rico Lewis also starting there ahead of Gomez. Gomez, like Kalvin Phillips, appears to have a very narrow path to regular playing time. This season, he’s been preferred at both right-wing and left-back.

His performance at Red Star wasn’t horrible, but (like with Phillips) it wasn’t enough to convince Guardiola to reconsider Gomez’s long-term chances. It’s a difficult situation because there are just a few games with less at stake, or against lower opposition, where these players can afford to play. The bigger guys will return when the tougher games come around.

It’s a shame Gomez hasn’t given Gvardiol more of a chance to play left-back, because he isn’t flawless and still has a lot to learn. Ake was unstoppable as City won the treble, but he hasn’t been trusted as much since and, according to Guardiola, can’t play three games a week. City have three choices at left back, but none of them are left backs. In Gomez’s case, he is at best third in that pecking order, and Red Star did little to help him advance.