Bielsa delivers Kalvin Phillips fitness update after worrying second-half issue for Leeds ace
Wow. One of the hardest to watch Leeds United games we can remember turned into a huge outpouring of relief after the late Pablo Hernandez winner.
Rewind 20 minutes, though, and it was looking pretty miserable.
The game had 0-0 written all over it and Kalvin Phillips looked like he was going to come off the pitch with an injury.
His left knee was heavily strapped and he looked to be really uncomfortable on it. We thought he was going to be subbed off but he battled through.
By the end of the game he was running freely although he wasn’t his brilliant self today.
Plenty of Leeds fans were deeply concerned about him, with the prospect of Brentford being just one point back by next Thursday if we didn’t win.
Thankfully, Leeds did win it and thankfully it looks like Phillips is okay.
Talking in his post-match press conference, Phil Hay relayed the good news saying, “Bielsa thinks he’ll be okay for Thursday.”
That is great news and caps off a memorable day for Leeds fans.
There’s every chance that Leeds could be playing for promotion on Thursday and now it’s this close it all feels very surreal.
Phillips has been immense this season and he obviously had an issue during the second half of the game.
When Phil Hay posted this update midway through the second half we feared the worst but he played on like a true hero and gave his all, as he does every week.
We think it’s between Brentford and West Brom for the second automatic spot now and with the Baggies playing Fulham next you’ve got to fear for them.
If Leeds United and Pontus Jansson go up, it would be an incredible end to an incredible season.
In other Leeds United news, ‘Astonishing’: Jeff Stelling reacts to Leeds promotion race, says one game could upset applecart