Phil Hay is eager to see Jesse Marsch unleash Kalvin Phillips and let the midfielder start this weekend for Leeds United.
It’s safe to say that this season has not been a favourable or memorable one for Kalvin Phillips having missed 18 games this season due to injuries and other reasons for absence, but things appear to now be on the up for the influential midfielder.
Phillips was handed his first lot of minutes under Jesse Marsch and indeed, his first form of minutes since December 5th when he came on as a substitute last weekend against Southampton which may well have set him up nicely for a start this week when Leeds face Watford in a huge relegation battle.
Hay spoke about the reason why he wouldn’t start Phillips this weekend on The Phil Hay Show.
“I think the big decision this weekend is going to be, does Phillips start? I have to be honest, I think he has to really, I think unless he is short of match fitness and unless it seems like too much of a risk to do that, because he won’t last long enough in the game. I think you’ve got to put some chips on him this weekend.”
TIF Thoughts on Phillips…
With Burnley’s late victory against Everton earlier this week, it’s certainly sucked a few teams right into the thick of a relegation battle, including Leeds United, which has set up their game against Watford this weekend as a must not lose, but three points would go a long way to securing their Premier League safety.
Therefore, for such a massive game, Jesse Marsch would surely love to be able to call upon his England international midfielder to general the middle of the park and ensure that his side controls the tempo of the game, so there would be a slight shock if Phillips wasn’t handed a start.
In other news: Phil Hay now reveals what he’s ‘heard’ about huge Leeds rumour