The England international endured a frustrating first few months after joining City from Leeds last summer, with his initial progress stalled by a shoulder injury.
However, after undergoing successful autumn surgery to cure the problem, Phillips was subsequently part of the England squad that reached the 2022 World Cup quarter-finals.
Having featured off the bench in City’s Premier League and FA Cup victories over Chelsea late last week, Phillips is now in contention to make his first start for the Club in Wednesday’s Carabao Cup quarter-final at Southampton.
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Addressing the media at his pre-match press conference, Guardiola said he was in no doubt that Phillips would prove an important figure over the next few months.
And the City boss said the prospect of Phillips vying for a place in the side with fellow holding midfielder Rodri would only prove to be of benefit to everyone with City in the hunt for silverware on four fronts,
“Kalvin has to fight with Rodri,” Guardiola declared.
“For the benefit of all of us, Rodri cannot sleep. He has to have the feeling that someone is close to him to do it.
“(Can Kalvin win that fight) Why not? It depends on him and how he is able to fight with Rodri.
“That’s why the big clubs have to have these options in these positions.
“Rodri knows a little bit more what we want to do.
“In the quality of long balls, Kalvin is better than Rodri. In shorter spaces and first actions, Rodri is better.
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“Everyone has their own quality, but they can play together - especially when you have two holding midfielders.
“We need Kalvin - I have said that from day one. When he didn’t train after the World Cup it’s because I said I don’t want him to get injured so it’s better to wait a few days and come back step by step.
“Sometimes you’re not ready because of niggles so I say stay one or two days out. You are not going to lose anything.
“When you lose a player for one month, they miss seven or eight games. Always I am so concerned about that.
“I say many times if you are not ready here [points at head], take a day off. No problem. The moment you are there, be focused.
“If you do not feel good for many reasons, personal issues, physical issues, no problem.
“If you have the players, you can fight every game.”
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Reflecting further on Phillips’ first five months at the Club, the boss said he understood how frustrating it must have been for him to have been side-lined so soon after joining us.
But he reiterated his admiration for the 27-year-old’s technical quality and said that was further complemented by Phillips’ strong mentality too.
“I am pretty sure he is frustrated when you come to a new place and cannot play,” Pep pointed out.
“The important thing was the shoulder, after surgery and the World Cup. Now he feels fine. It’s just a question of time and minutes.
“He understands where the ball is coming, he is strong in the air and has the quality to break lines to wingers and inside.
“He has to improve the reception from central defenders, but this is a question of time. At Leeds he moved the lateral way, but he has the ability to do it.
“Come on, he is a national team player. In the Euros when England reached the final (in 2021) he played amazingly.
“He had the mentality to train with Marcelo Bielsa with the resilience and fight.
“I believed he could settle with us, and I am convinced it is going to happen.
“With the run of games that we have, we are going to use him.”
