Man City dealt new Kalvin Phillips injury blow that could affect World Cup chances

Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips is set for surgery on a persistent shoulder problem that is going to leave his World Cup hopes hanging by a thread.

Phillips made his third appearance for the Blues when he came on as a late substitute against Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday, but he has since suffered a relapse with a shoulder problem and wasn't part of the matchday squad against Wolves at Molineux on Saturday.

The 26-year-old has had two significant shoulder injuries during his career and picked up a knock in that area during City's friendly in Barcelona towards the end of August.

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City have now been told that he will almost certainly need surgery to correct the issue and is set for a spell on the sidelines as a result.

That has forced Phillips out of the England squad for September's Nations League games against Italy and Germany and he faces a race against time to prove his fitness for the World Cup in Qatar in November and December.

Gareth Southgate has to name his 26-man squad for the tournament by Friday, October 21, and City have only five fixtures before that announcement, giving Phillips little time to make a return.

He has been a regular for England under Southgate and was part of the midfield that helped the Three Lions to the European Championship final last summer, starring alongside Declan Rice and being named England's Player of the Year for 2021.

But he has had a difficult start to life at the Etihad since his £42million move from Leeds and has played just 14 minutes of competitive football for the club. City play Manchester United, Southampton, Liverpool and two games against FC Copenhagen before Southgate names his