Phillips' struggles are a cautionary tale for Anderson

Phillips' struggles are a cautionary tale for AndersonImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Manchester City midfielders Kalvin Phillips (left) and Elliot AndersonByKeifer MacDonaldBBC Sport journalistPublished3 minutes agoCommentsWhen Elliot Anderson completed his £116m move from Nottingham Forest to Manchester City last week, there was a sense of deja vu.It is not the first time City has signed one of the most sought-after midfielders in the Premier League fresh from an impressive first international tournament with England.A similar story unfolded in 2022 when Kalvin Phillips left his boyhood club, Leeds United, to join City on a six-year deal.Fast forward four years and Phillips is on the brink of leaving the Etihad on loan for a fourth time, with the midfielder set to join Sheffield United for a second successive season. So, is there anything Anderson can learn from Phillips' plight? How an injury-hit start derailed Phillips' City careerAfter spending eight seasons in the first team at Elland Road, Phillips helped Leeds secure Premier League survival a year after winning the Championship title.His performances also earned him a key role in England's run to the European Championships final in 2021, with his move to the Etihad expected to take his career to the next level.Instead, it marked arguably the most difficult period of his career.When Phillips arrived at Manchester City ahead of the 2022-23 season, he faced the challenge of breaking into a midfield that had won the Premier League only a few months earlier.That task became even harder when, after just one substitute appearance in the Premier League for his new club, he was ruled out for almost three months with a shoulder injury sustained in training.Phillips was sidelined from September and, by the time he returned in November, domestic football was coming to a halt ahead of the World Cup in Qatar.It left the England international competing with Rodri for a spot in midfield, with th...