Leeds United fans have been reacting to the views of journalist Joe Donnohue regarding the team moving forward following Kalvin Phillips’ injury.
It was revealed yesterday that Leeds United midfielder Phillips, described as ‘the lynchpin’ of Marcelo Bielsa’s side, will be missing for two months with a hamstring injury in a devastating blow for a side who could still be dragged into a relegation battle as they sit just six points above the drop.
Writing in an article for Leeds Live, Donnohue put forward the case that now might be the time for Lewis Bate, the youngster who the club signed from Chelsea this past summer, to step up and take the England international’s place, claiming that “in possession, there are few players closer to the skillset of Phillips”.
His views were relayed to supporters on the Leeds United Live Facebook page for them to react to, where it generated a number of interesting responses about whether or not the 19-year-old should be the one to take Phillips’ first-team spot:
Would you like to see Lewis Bate in the first team?
Yes
No
Given how thin the squad is in defensive midfield, Leeds boss Bielsa might have to get creative when it comes to team selection, but whether or not that includes someone like Bate, we’ll just have to wait and see.
In other news: ‘He’s a machine’, ‘Making the difference’ – Many LUFC fans raving as numbers on ‘beast’ revealed