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Kalvin Phillips could end season from hell with TWO European winners' medals

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Midfielder has had wave of nightmare incidents since loan to East London
Midfielder has had wave of nightmare incidents since loan to East London

KALVIN PHILLIPS could end a season to forget with European winners’ medals for Manchester City AND West Ham.

If City retain the Champions League, Phillips qualifies after three cameos and a dead-rubber start.

Kalvin Phillips could end the season with another two European medals eiqkiqxtiquxprw
Kalvin Phillips could end the season with another two European medalsCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun

And two more bit-parts for the Hammers mean the same in the Europa League.

But they might not be pride of place on the mantelpiece.

Phillips, 28, joined the East Londoners in the January transfer window after struggling to make an impact at the Etihad.

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Fat-shamed by Pep Guardiola, his game time was limited to just ten appearances in the first half of the season.

That did, though, include four Champions League matches.

Treble-winner Phillips came on in the 83rd minute in the 3-1 win over Red Star Belgrade then the 89th minute as City beat Young Boys by the same scoreline.

He got 29 minutes from the bench in the home tie against the Swiss outfit then played the full 90 and scored in the final group game away in Belgrade.

City had already booked their spot in the knockout stages with five wins from five before his late penalty in the 3-2 victory.

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Phillips endured a nightmare start to life at West Ham, gifting a goal away on his debut, seeing red at Nottingham Forest then played his part in the almighty collapse at Newcastle before swearing at a fan.

He has also been dumped out of Gareth Southgate's England squad ahead of the Euros before being sidelined with a hamstring injury as his season goes from bad to worse.


Phillips, though, did come on as a late substitute in both legs of the Europa League last-16 tie with Freiburg, a 1-0 defeat away and a 5-0 win at the London Stadium.

And it means this torrid campaign - which so far has yielded just 622 minutes of action across five competitions - could still end with double Euro glory.

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West Ham must overturn their first-leg deficit against Bayer Leverkusen before facing AC Milan or Roma in the semis - with Liverpool Atalanta, Benfica or Marseille awaiting in the final.

Meanwhile, reigning kings of Europe Manchester City are the favourites to lift the iconic Champions League trophy once again this season.

Pep Guardiola's men got a thrilling 3-3 draw away at Real Madrid and will be confident of going through to take on Arsenal or Bayern Munich for a spot in the final.

Phillips scored a penalty in the 3-2 win away at Red Star Belgrade in December
Phillips scored a penalty in the 3-2 win away at Red Star Belgrade in DecemberCredit: Getty
Things have not been easy for the midfielder at West Ham
Things have not been easy for the midfielder at West HamCredit: Getty

Phil Thomas

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