Kalvin Phillips has revealed the three words Pep Guardiola said to him following the 1-1 draw between Leeds and Manchester City earlier in the season.
The England international told Henry Winter of The Times: ‘I was more mesmerised by Pep Guardiola giving me a handshake, and saying, ‘Congratulations, well done.’ That was nice.’
To earn a point against one of the greatest managers to ever roam the dugout is a fine achievement and presumably filled Phillips with plenty of joy.
So, for that man to then shower you in praise after full-time must’ve been an incredible feeling for the Leeds academy graduate.
It’s no wonder that Guardiola congratulated Phillips on his performance.
Sitting at the base of Marcelo Bielsa’s midfield, the 24-year-old made six successful tackles, three interceptions and one block according to SofaScore.
Phillips also wasn’t afraid to roam forward. He completed two successful dribbles, and had one shot on target. He also finished the game with a pass success rate of 87%.
To do that against a side who were recently back-to-back Premier League champions is some feat. Even keeping such a free-scoring side down to just one goal is a fine achievement, in truth.
Playing that defensive midfield role alone in a 4-1-4-1 system on the day, Phillips deserves huge credit for nullifying the likes of Riyad Mahrez, Phil Foden and Kevin De Bruyne.
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