Manchester City star Kalvin Phillips is ready to start for the Carabao Cup quarterfinal against Southampton.

That is according to his manager Pep Guardiola, who had critiqued Phillips' fitness after the World Cup.

After lambasting the midfielder publicly for arriving from his mini holiday overweight, Guardiola believes that Phillips is now back to full fitness.

"He's always ready," the Blues boss said to reporters.

"Of course, he needed time for some aspects but he's ready and we are delighted about that.

"We have to see [if he will start] but I think he's an intelligent player, normally holding midfielders so clever.

“He was educated at Leeds with Marcelo [Bielsa] and the commitment of every training session and every game.

“But there are patterns and movements and you need game time. He arrived and had injuries which meant he couldn't be there but step by step he will get there."