If reports are to be believed, Kalvin Phillips will earn just his third start of the season tonight when England take on Italy in Naples.
Injury and form has restricted Phillips to just 344 minutes this season, at an average of 26 minutes per appearance for Manchester City. He is firmly behind Rodri in the pecking order, left to rely on scraps off the bench when a game is comfortably won.
When he has started, he has typically struggled, with the Carabao Cup defeat at Southampton a prime example. However, Phillips is still learning the ropes at City and has not been given a run of games yet to get to grips with Pep Guardiola's system. For England, his role is more natural and suited to his style of play.
