Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has revealed that summer signing Kalvin Phillips will miss Saturday's Premier League game at home against Bournemouth due to injury.
The 26-year-old midfielder joined to the Citizens from boyhood club Leeds United earlier this summer for a initial fee of £42m.
Phillips was involved on the club's pre-season tour of the USA last month and played in both pre-season friendlies against Club America and Bayern Munich.
The England international then made his competitive debut for City on the opening weekend of the new Premier League season, coming off the bench in the closing stages of their 2-0 win away at West Ham United.
Phillips was hoping to make his first appearance in sky blue at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, but Guardiola has confirmed that the midfielder will not be involved, while academy graduate Cole Palmer is doubtful.
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Speaking at a press conference on Friday ahead of their clash with Bournemouth, Guardiola said: "Kalvin has some niggles and won't be able [to play].
"Cole Palmer had a knock in his feet in the last days and is a doubt for tomorrow. The rest are fine."
Both players now join centre-back Aymeric Laporte on the treatment table, with the latter set to remain sidelined for the rest of this month after undergoing knee surgery.
Guardiola has also spoken highly about Scott Parker's Bournemouth side, who secured a 2-0 home win against Aston Villa last weekend in their first game back in the top flight following their promotion from the Championship last season.
"I saw [Bournemouth's] game. I have a lot of respect for Scott Parker, the patterns are so clear," Guardiola added.
"We spoke and trained and we're ready. It's so tricky [to face promoted teams early], the first games are so difficult, they don't feel pressure because they are in incredible mood.
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"They don't have anything to lose, after the good karma being promoted, makes it complicated.
"After a few months all the teams have injuries, good moments bad moments, the mood in the locker room, these things happen. In the first games everyone pushes to do better so it is always tricky."
City have an impressive record against the Cherries as they have won each of their last 11 meetings against them, scoring 32 goals in the process.
Guardiola was also questioned about City's pursuit of left-back Sergio Gomez and has confirmed that the Spaniard will join up with the first-team squad this season to provide competition for Joao Cancelo.
Gomez is allegedly flying to Manchester this weekend to undergo his medical and put pen to paper on his contract, after the Citizens reached an agreement with Anderlecht on Wednesday to sign the 21-year-old for a fee in excess of €10m (£8.5m).
Oliver Thomas
