Noel Whelan reacts to Kalvin Phillips’ display in Leeds’ 3-0 win

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Leeds United went back to the top of the Championship with an emphatic win on Tuesday night.

Noel Whelan told BBC Radio Leeds’ post-match coverage of Leeds’ win over Reading on Tuesday that Kalvin Phillips continues to keep getting better and better as he was asked to pick his standout performer from the 3-0 victory.

Marcelo Bielsa’s side returned to the top of the Championship as Mateusz Klich and an outstanding brace from Pablo Hernandez ensured that enough damage was done in the first-half at the Madejski Stadium.

Leeds did not add to their tally after the break, but certainly had the chances to. Patrick Bamford was perhaps saving his lethal touch for Sheffield United’s visit to Elland Road on Saturday as he squandered a couple of very good opportunities.

But it was a fantastic performance from Leeds, who only needed Kiko Casilla to bail them out on a couple of occasions. And while Hernandez will understandably take many of the plaudits, Whelan felt that one of his teammates also deserved an enormous amount of praise.

“I think you’ve got to say Kalvin Phillips once again,” he told BBC Radio Leeds. “He had a job on Swift. You could straight away that he was man-marking him throughout the game. He’s their number 10, he’s the playmaker, he’s the one that makes things happen and he didn’t allow him a kick. He dominated him. He bossed him. He bullied him.

“He just keeps getting better and better Kalvin Phillips, doesn’t matter what job you give him to do, he’ll go out there with honesty and quality as well, range of passing. He does put his body through the mill. He is physical, he loves a challenge and he never leaves anything in the changing room.”

It is no secret that Phillips is enjoying his best season in Leeds’ squad. He has been dubbed the Yorkshire Pirlo by the Whites supporters due to his ability to both break up play and then produce a sumptuous pass within a matter of seconds.

And ahead of what looks set to be Leeds’ biggest game of the campaign so far this weekend, Bielsa will be delighted that Phillips is producing such consistently excellent performances once again as he could be vital to the club’s hopes of blunting the Blades.