Jack Harrison arrived at Leeds United on loan from Manchester City in the summer.
Harrison has stepped into Leeds’ starting line-up in recent weeks, following an injury crisis in the forward positions.
With Pablo Hernandez, Kemar Roofe and Patrick Bamford all out with injury, Leeds have been forced to call upon Harrison and Tyler Roberts.
And Phillips has been impressed by the young pair’s contributions to the side’s cause.
He said: “You always miss key players but I feel like the players who’ve come in have been exceptional.
“Tyler Roberts has done really well, Jack Harrison’s done really well. That’s down to the people in the changing room and how hard working they are; how humble they are if they’re not playing week in, week out. It shows how focused they are and how much they want to play.”
Harrison could now have cemented his place in Leeds’ team, even with Hernandez coming back.
It may well be that Gianni Alioski’s place is under more threat than Harrison’s, such have been the standard of the Manchester City loanee’s performances.
Roberts, on the other hand, may sink to the bench when Roofe makes it back to full fitness, but he has proven he can cope at Championship level.
Leeds are next in action after the international break, when they take on Blackburn Rovers.
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