West Ham's Kalvin Phillips slammed after furious response to fans following poor display against Newcastle
Phillips, who has been struggling for form since his loan move from Manchester City in January, endured a nightmare outing during the match against Newcastle.
Despite his team initially leading 3-1, Phillips' performance took a downturn, culminating in his side's defeat.
Kalvin Phillips and Fans incident
Heckled after the match as he made his way to the team coach, a fan shouted out, as reported by The Sun, “Useless! Absolutely useless!'"
In response to the heckling, Phillips reportedly raised his middle finger at the fan as he boarded the coach, a scene witnessed by onlooking children.
Kalvin Phillips’ reaction to the West Ham fans criticising him whilst getting on the bus after the loss at Newcastle yesterday. 🖕
— Football Away Days (@FBAwayDays) March 31, 2024
Was his response justified? 🤔pic.twitter.com/8izX8N2scT
Fans expressed their frustration with Phillips, with one supporter going as far as labelling him "the worst loan of all time."
"I’d send Kalvin Phillips back to Man City before the clocks go forward," another fan remarked.
Criticism also came regarding Phillips' reaction to the heckling. One fan suggested he "lost his head," while another remarked, "They got to cut his loan for that? Unbelievable disrespect."
West Ham had invested significantly in bringing Phillips to the London Stadium, covering his £140,000-a-week wages until the end of the season.
The move was intended to rejuvenate Phillips' career and boost his chances of securing a spot in Gareth Southgate's England squad for Euro 2024, given his lack of regular playing time under Guardiola at Manchester City.