Stephen Warnock told the Football Show on Sky Sports on Monday that Leeds and Manchester United duo, Kalvin Phillips and Bruno Fernandes, were ‘joint at the hip’ at Elland Road on Sunday.
The former left-back praised Leeds’ defensive rock for keeping Manchester United’s expert creator quiet during the pretty dull goalless draw.
Even though Fernandes has created the most chances in the Premier League this season, he wasn’t allowed to breathe in Yorkshire, as Phillips dealt with him at every given opportunity.
Warnock praised the ‘outstanding’ Phillips for Sunday’s performance and why he is a player who has received high recognition from his coaches.
“This is the foul, which led to the Meslier save, where he wiped out Bruno Fernandes,” said Phillips. “Now, he (Fernandes) thinks he (Phillips) is behind him every time he (gets on the ball).
“When Kalvin Phillips is going to engage with Bruno Fernandes, there is a look around him, every single time. Where is he? How close is he to me?
“He just didn’t give him a moment’s peace. And the pair were joint at the hip throughout the whole game.
“But it was an outstanding display from Kalvin Phillips, who just shows why he is so highly thought of by Marcelo Bielsa and Gareth Southgate.”
With performances such as the one on Sunday, Phillips is slowly etching closer to becoming an England regular.
There is no doubt that he should be on that plane to the Euros this summer, it’s just a case of whether he starts, especially with Declan Rice flying high in East London.
During their England stints, both have shown that they thrive when playing alone, rather than together, but with Southgate opting for three at the back and a two-man midfield, one of them may have to sit on the bench, anyhow.
Mason Mount has been favoured in that number eight role, with a more defensive mind next to him in either Rice or Phillips.
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