Unanswered Leeds United questions remain over Kalvin Phillips future after Jesse Marsch dummy run

Kalvin Phillips was the first to admit he is not yet up to speed with the new style of play at Leeds United, following his first start under Jesse Marsch.

The England midfielder was injured at the beginning of December, sustaining a hamstring injury which required surgery, subsequently keeping him out of action for four months.

On his return, Phillips has been slowly reintegrated under new head coach Jesse Marsch. The American has proceeded with caution having witnessed Patrick Bamford break down at Molineux last month.

Speaking after Leeds' 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace on Monday night, Phillips discussed his new role in a double pivot at the base of the Whites' midfield.

"Obviously, I wish I performed a little bit better, [I'm] trying to get to grips with the new formation," the England international began.

"It's very different," he added. "I like both ways, to be fair - I don't mind playing as a single and I don't mind playing as a double.

"You've got a lot of help when me and [Mateusz] Klichy and Robin [Koch] are working together. The new formation is good and hopefully we can keep performances up and build on what we've done."

Leeds are five games unbeaten and have performed adequately in recent weeks, picking up important results as the squad acclimatises to Marsch's methods.

However, there are questions over the sustainability of Marsch's style against some of the division's better sides. Answers will be forthcoming on that matter as the Whites prepare to face Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal in consecutive weeks.

Phillips' first 90 minute run-out since late November ultimately proved an uneventful one. Paired with Mateusz Klich during the first half and Robin Koch in the second, Phillips' display exhibited familiar elements, as well as ideas absorbed in the recent weeks working under Marsch.

There were occasions in which the 26-year-old dropped between Leeds' two central defenders, allowing Liam Cooper in particular to position himself wider and assist build-up play in the channels.

This was commonly observed throughout Phillips' time as a single pivot defensive midfielder under Marcelo Bielsa, as was his penchant for collecting loose balls in front of the defence. Although against Crystal Palace, this largely came as a result of Phillips' new brief: defending space.

In possession, there are still unanswered questions relating to the England midfielder and the preferred style employed by Marsch.

The head coach prefers his team to set up narrower, but this has the potential to negate one of Phillips' best traits.

Throughout his Leeds career, Phillips has been lauded for his ability to hit long, cross-field diagonal balls to the wide players.

With players such as Jack Harrison no longer hugging the touchline, Phillips may be required to play straighter, high risk-high reward passes into the final third if he wishes to progress the ball.

Monday night's fixture saw Phillips complete 27 of his 38 attempted passes, failing with six of his attempted long balls. It is too early to cast aspersions on Phillips' suitability to Marsch's setup but it is possible this was a consequence of the shifted focus to play through the central channels.

"We want them to be inside," Marsch said in a post-match interview with broadcasters. "There's trying to transform the playing philosophy and then there's trying to encourage players to adapt to new tactical ideas.

"They're trying - they gave everything they had and sometimes they fall back to old habits but they're pushing everyday to try and adapt," Marsch added.

In the months to come, there will be teething problems for those players accustomed to Bielsa's style - Phillips included.

The true test of Marsch's coaching credentials, will be whether the team evolves or judders with the England talisman at the heart of it.