Leeds may not have had things go their way recently as they’ve won just one of their last seven league games, but that doesn’t mean that they haven’t been incredibly impressive since Marcelo Bielsa’s appointment.

He’s taken them mid-table mediocrity to the edge of the Premier League, with the Whites currently sitting in the automatic promotion places. Bearing their rise in mind, one pundit believes it’s time for a certain Leeds player to make a huge step up.

What’s been said then?

Danny Higginbotham was commentating on Leeds vs QPR, and he couldn’t help but wax-lyrical about Kalvin Phillips after his co-commentator pointed out that Gareth Southgate was at Elland Road for Leeds’ last league game.

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“I like him, I think he’s a great talent,” Higginbotham said on Sky Sports’ coverage of QPR vs Leeds (18/1/20 1:08PM)

“He’s got to the point now where Gareth Southgate has to be looking at him.

“People say ‘oh he’s not playing in the Premier League’, but the Championship is a very good league, and he’s playing under a world-renowned manager in Bielsa, and he’s just taken to it unbelievably. As a defensive midfielder I don’t think there are many better around who are English.”

Not that day

Well, if Phillips is good enough for an England call-up he didn’t show it against QPR on Saturday.

The midfielder had a rather dreadful game, and that was capped off by a red card he received with less than five minutes to go.

It wasn’t just that moment that showed his flaws though as he seemed off the pace before his dismissal.

Only two of his ten crosses were accurate, and only one of his six attempted long balls found their mark.

Phillips has previously shown his ability, and he’s been touted as the best player in the Championship by certain pundits, but he certainly wasn’t at his best today. This was a typical case of the commentator’s curse.

In other news, Phil Hay has revealed that one Leeds target has already been training at Thorp Arch this week.