Leeds United ace Kalvin Phillips initially played in central midfield for the Whites but Bielsa’s Elland Road arrival saw him become a defensive midfielder.
Ahead of their Championship clash with Leeds United at Elland Road today, Preston North End boss Alex Neil has raved about Whites midfielder Kalvin Phillips (PNE website).
The 24-year-old was given his debut at Leeds by Neil Redfearn in 2014 and spent his formative years in the Whites first team as a central midfielder, but Bielsa’s arrival at Elland Road in the summer of 2018 saw him pushed further back.
Phillips has prospered as a defensive midfielder to the extent that the Leeds faithful have nicknamed him the “Yorkshire Pirlo” and there have even been calls for England manager Gareth Southgate to consider giving him a call-up.
Indeed, the Leeds born-and-bred ace joked in an interview with Sky Sports News a month ago that he “wasn’t the best player” ahead of Bielsa’s arrival at Elland Road and raved about how much of a “massive help” the Argentine has been.
With Preston heading to Elland Road for a Boxing Day clash, Neil bemoaned how Daniel Johnson remains sidelined for the high-flying Lilywhites but is expecting holding midfielders Phillips and Ben Pearson to play a big role in the game.
“Both teams play through their No.6, who is relied upon to break up the game and be that extra link and their positions are pivotal to that sort of system,” Neil told the PNE website.
“Kalvin Phillips has come on leaps and bounds since Marcelo Bielsa has come in and Ben [Pearson] has got better and better for us over the last few years and it will be really interesting to see how both of them play.”
Phillips has made 22 Championship appearances this season – only missing one game due to a yellow card suspension – as well as featuring in both the Whites’ League Cup games this term (Transfermarkt).
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