Phillips set to miss England internationals after Man City midfielder suffers shoulder setback

• City star faces time on sidelines
• World Cup countdown has begun
• Shoulder problems have been recurring issue

WHAT'S HAPPENING? The Manchester City midfielder missed the 3-0 victory over Wolves on Saturday and club doctors are now considering whether he needs surgery.

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Phillips suffered the shoulder injury in a friendly with Barcelona weeks into the season, but while he made a quick return, he has also suffered the same problem with Leeds, which kept him out of action for five weeks.

AND WHAT'S MORE: It could be a major blow for the 26-year-old, who is yet to start a competitive game for City and has played fewer than 20 minutes this season. More alarmingly, the World Cup is just two months away and, while Phillips has been a trusted and important part of Gareth Southgate's squad, he will want an opportunity to show he is ready for the tournament.

STORY IN TWO PHOTOS:

THE VERDICT: It's been a frustrating time for Phillips since his £42 million switch from Leeds in the summer and he will hope that the injury is not too serious. Battling Rodri for a starting spot at City was always going to be a big challenge, but he needs a run of games to rediscover the form that convinced Pep Guardiola he was the perfect fit for his squad.

WHAT NEXT? England will play Nations League matches against Germany and Italy over the international break while City face Manchester United in the Manchester derby when the Premier League returns.