Why Ashley Phillips still hasn’t played a minute for his new manager at Stoke

Things have not gone according to plan for Ashley Phillips in his loan spell at Stoke City so far but the centre-back will be hoping that his fortunes soon change.

Phillips was one of Plymouth Argyle’s standout players last season, playing a key role in helping the club secure their Championship status.

When he made the loan move to Stoke in the summer, many at Spurs would have thus expected him to kick on and become a key player for the Potters.

However, that has not quite happened so far for the 20-year-old, who has only made one appearance in the Championship and two in the League Cup so far this season.

Phillips returned from his concussion last week and would have hoped to get his opportunity but that did not quite materialise.

The Tottenham man was an unused substitute in Stoke’s midweek win over Portsmouth last week as well as their 0-0 draw at Swansea over the weekend.

As things stand, it looks like the Blackburn Academy graduate has work to do to force himself into the plans of manager Narcis Pelach.

Phillips will welcome the international break as he has been picked in England’s elite squad for their upcoming fixtures against Italy and Czechia.

The centre-back is joined in the squad by fellow Spurs teammates Will Lankshear, Dane Scarlett and Luca Gunter, and he will hope to get some much-needed game time under his belt.