Kalvin Phillips unlikely to start for Leeds United v Aston Villa – Graham Smyth
Graham Smyth has insisted that Kalvin Phillips is unlikely to start for Leeds United against Aston Villa on Thursday evening.
Despite admitting his return would be “enormous”, the Yorkshire Evening Post journalist isn’t expecting it to happen.
The Yorkshire Pirlo is in the final stretch of his recovery and was expected to return to action in March following months on the sidelines.
Writing in the Yorkshire Evening Post this morning, Smyth shared some early team news for the upcoming clash.
“The length of time Phillips has been out suggests a start on Thursday is unlikely, no matter how robust the Leeds lad has proven in the past and even if he has taken little time to get up to speed after previous injuries,” he said.
“A return would be an enormous boost.”
Enormous.
Even just having Phillips in the matchday squad and on the bench would be huge against Villa on Thursday.
Patrick Bamford didn’t even get on the pitch in the 1-0 defeat at Leicester, but you saw the jubilation his name brought by just being on the bench.
That is the type of energy we need around the ground, in the fanbase, in the squad as we go into two huge home games.
Phillips has been a huge miss, and it would be no surprise to see him return out of nowhere given how tough he can be.
These are the games he will live for, and he will want to have a say on our final 11 games as we look to stay in the Premier League.
Should we do that, there is a huge summer ahead and hopefully this side can be built around the Yorkshire Pirlo for the years to come.
Let’s just hope he’s back on Thursday, first.
In other Leeds United news, Andrea Radrizzani has interacted with a fan on Twitter who has unleashed on Gabby Agbonlahor