BBC pundit: £140,000-a-wk Liverpool star is not in the same league as this Leeds player
Noel Whelan has claimed that Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson is not in the same league as Leeds United defensive midfielder Kalvin Phillips.
Phillips, 24, has been in superb form for Leeds since Marcelo Bielsa became manager at Elland Road in 2018 and his two most-recent displays have proven to be the catalyst in what has been a revival in the Whites’ bid for promotion.
BBC Radio Leeds pundit Whelan believes that Phillips will soon be playing for England based on his performances but also reckons he’s better at his role than Liverpool’s Henderson and West Ham’s Declan Rice.
“Kalvin Phillips is one of those players who is not just integral in the role that he plays but also the confidence he gives to others when he is in the side,” the ex-Leeds striker told Football Insider.
“There has to be an England call up for him very soon the way he is playing.
“He is a leader. There is no better defensive midfield player in the Championship in that position and I would probably say the Premier League as well. I do not think Declan Rice and Jordan Henderson are in the same league as Kalvin Phillips. I really do not. Kalvin is way above them.
“Gareth has been down and has been looking at Kalvin and Ben White you would have thought but Kalvin is the standout.”
We love Whelan’s enthusiasm about Phillips, but to suggest he’s a league above Henderson is well over the top and maybe the ex-Leeds striker should reign in his praise a bit.
Phillips is a very good defensive midfielder but we need to remember that he is so far unproven in the Premier League.
He’s also being compared to Liverpool’s Champions League-winning captain who is currently top of the Premier League, in very good form himself and is on a contract worth £140,000-a-week [Spotrac].
It’s fair enough to say that about West Ham midfielder Rice because he has been very poor for both club and country this season but there’s no way Whelan can compare Phillips with Henderson yet.
The former Sunderland player is very under-rated considering what he’s achieving at Liverpool.
In other Leeds United news, Phillips could have his biggest test yet against Reading.