Manchester City midfielder Colin Phillips has revealed he has reason to feel ‘very optimistic’ about making England’s World Cup squad.
The 26-year-old has struggled with injuries over the past year and there were fears he could miss this winter’s tournament in Qatar after undergoing shoulder surgery in September.
Gareth Southgate is set to name his final 26-man squad this weekend, while Pep Guardiola has confirmed Phillips back in Man City’s matchday squad for Wednesday’s Carabao Cup clash with Chelsea. will come
Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, Phillips insisted he is now injury free and feels good about his chances of making the cut.
“The shoulder is fine now,” Phillips said. “I went through a seven-week process to recover as fast as I can for the World Cup. Everything is going well.
“I obviously haven’t done it for a long time but I’ve kept my fitness up and I’d like to think I can play 90 minutes.”
When asked if he thought he would make Southgate’s final squad, Phillips replied: “I’m not too sure yet. I’m very optimistic I can be in it. We’ll have to wait. will have.”
Phillips became an England regular following his promotion to the Premier League with Leeds United in 2020, eventually leading to the Euro 2020 finals.
He completed a £45m move to Man City this summer after helping Leeds secure safety on the final day of the 2021/22 season.