Growth as a leader and growth within Leeds United as Kalvin Phillips moves to recreate his England role at Elland Road, are the big aims Jesse Marsch has for his homegrown hero. The 26-year-old was back on the bench in the win at Wolverhampton Wanderers on Friday, but Marsch said he had no plans to throw him onto the pitch at any stage.
With another fortnight of training and recuperation under his belt, Phillips will be champing at the bit to return to the field against Southampton, more than three months after his last appearance. His new head coach has already intimated he expects Phillips to bring some of his England ideas into the 4-2-3-1 system Marsch appears to have settled on in his first four matches.
Rather than playing as the sole defensive midfielder we saw with Marcelo Bielsa’s system, Phillips looks set to play alongside one of Mateusz Klich or Adam Forshaw in a double pivot, much in the way he does with Declan Rice under Gareth Southgate. Asked if he felt Phillips could become an even better player in a role like that with Leeds, Marsch said: “I hope so.
