OPINION
Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa announced his starting XI for the Championship game against Norwich in his pre-match press conference.
He’s done that before and it didn’t come as a major surprise, despite the fact that Norwich are Leeds’ closest rivals at the top of the table.
However, there was a major shock in store as he revealed that Kalvin Phillips, probably Leeds’ most consistent player of the season, was being dropped to the bench for the first time this season.
Phillips has only missed two games this season, while suspended, and for a manager who doesn’t like changing his side, it came completely out of nowhere.
There were a couple of other smaller surprises too.
Ezgjan Alioski continues at left-back, where he’s played brilliantly while Barry Douglas has been injured. Douglas is fit again now but Alioski keeps his place on merit.
And man-of-the-moment Jack Clarke has been dropped too, with Tyler Roberts coming in. The other bit of good news is that Pablo Hernandez is fit enough to play.
But naming Phillips on the bench is the massive curveball and we can only assume that it’s on the back of some immense form from Adam Forshaw.
Phillips has been deputising in defence and while he’s been doing that, Forshaw has seemingly stolen a march on his defensive midfield place.
If Leeds beat Norwich, Bielsa will go down as a tactical genius. If not… questions could be asked.
The team was quoted by Yorkshire Evening Post journalist Phil Hay, on his personal Twitter page.
Will try again with that team for Saturday, since my first effort 10 players in it: Casilla, Ayling, Jansson, Cooper, Alioski, Forshaw, Harrison, Klich, Roberts, Hernandez, Roofe. #lufc
— Phil Hay (@PhilHay_) January 31, 2019