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International manager praises athletic Leeds star for Thursday performance
England manager Gareth Southgate praised Leeds United’s Kalvin Phillips for his individual performance on Thursday night.
Phillips, who is the sole Leeds representative in the England squad, helped his country to a comfortable victory yesterday.
The Three Lions beat minnows San Marino 5-0 at Wembley Stadium in a World Cup qualifier. Dominic Calvert-Lewin (two), James Ward-Prowse, Raheem Sterling and Ollie Watkins were all on the scoresheet.
Southgate admitted in his post-match interview that Leeds’ central midfielder made a positive impression on him.
The 25-year-old played the full match in the centre of the park, where he was given plenty of time in possession to show off his range of passing.
“Kalvin Phillips, I was really pleased for him. He used the ball well, but his athleticism around the pitch was good,” Southgate told (9:52pm, 25 March).
TBR’s View:
It was difficult for Phillips to shine in a game where the opposition were rarely out of their own half.
But it was a fifth senior international cap for the Leeds-born midfielder, who is being rewarded for his superb club form at Elland Road this season in the Premier League.
If he gets a chance in either of the upcoming qualifiers with Albania and Poland, it may take a really influential performance to get himself on the plane with England’s squad for this summer’s European Championships.
Leeds fans know exactly the kind of talent they’ve got on their hands, and it shows in the fact Marcelo Bielsa’s system appears to break down without Phillips in the XI.