Ian Wright has told the Wrighty’s House podcast that he feels Kalvin Phillips has managed to made himself irreplaceable for Leeds United.
Wright has been a huge fan of Leeds ever since he watched them play against Arsenal in the FA Cup last season.
On that occasion Marcelo Bielsa’s side were beaten, but Leeds put in a display which proved their ability to play in the top flight before they were promoted.
Wright is now expecting a similar game this time around, as Leeds take on Arsenal on Sunday.
But the Gunners legend feels that Philips will be a huge loss for Bielsa’s men.
“Did you see when Leeds came and played us in the FA Cup?” he questioned.
“They gave us a chasing bro. Oh my God, it was a joy to watch what they did to my team!
“But what you see is how reliant it is on every single player doing their exact specific jobs.
“You look at Kalvin Phillips missing, they lost 4-1 only because nobody else can play the role that he plays.
“He doesn’t have a plan B. We know exactly what Bielsa is going to do. He’s not going to come and say ‘they’ve changed’, there’s nothing to work out.”
Phillips’s importance to Leeds has indeed been highlighted in recent weeks.
During the England international’s time on the sidelines, Leeds’ results have taken a turn for the worse.
Bielsa’s men have now been beaten 4-1 in their last two outings, with their defence not being offered the same level of protection without Philips in the starting line-up.
Leeds have sunk down to 15th as a result of their recent slump, and will be wanting to climb back up the table as soon as possible.
Wrighty’s House is the latest podcast from The Ringer with host Ian Wright with new episodes every Wednesday. The podcast will be available exclusively on Spotify. You can listen here.
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