Craig Scott

Mon 18 October 2021 6:35, UK

Leeds United fans will be hoping down that Marcelo Bielsa is right to play down Kalvin Phillips’ new injury issue, according to Daily Mail journalist Riath Al-Samarrai.

Writing on the Mail website, the reporter says that Leeds massively underperformed without Phillips, 25, as they lost 1-0 away at Southampton on Saturday.

Patrick Bamford and Raphinha also missed the game, which was one of of the worst performances of Bielsa’s reign at Elland Road and Al-Samarrai writes that there’s got to be hope that the issue with Phillips isn’t serious.

“The absences of Raphinha and Patrick Bamford stung; the loss of Phillips to a calf injury crippled them, so the hope must be that Bielsa was right in playing down its damage, even if he did ominously reveal that the problem had caused new complications in his hip,” said the journalist on the Mail website.

“Any prolonged lay-off would surely increase the severity of Leeds’ relegation battle.”

Not an option

Phillips has no option. He simply cannot be injured for any extended amount of time due to how pivotal he is for Leeds United.

Everyone connected with the Whites knew that Bielsa needed to strengthen his midfield options in the summer transfer window and every knew that we needed someone to stand in for Phillips whenever he’s injured.

Phillips never has an injury-free season, there are always a handful of games he misses and when he does sit out, more often than not, the Whites lose.

We’ve seen it already this season with Leeds losing to Manchester United and Southampton in the only two games Phillips has missed.

Not only did we lose those matches but we were absolutely hopeless both in and out of possession.

Phillips is the most important player at this club. He’s priceless.

And if he has a lengthy lay-off due to this ominous new hip injury then we are in massive, massive trouble.

In other Leeds United news, fans have slaughtered this player and want him gone for good after his shocker at Southampton.