Gareth Southgate hails solutions as Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips helps England to victory against Wales

Whites midfielder Phillips was handed his second cap by Southgate and the 24-year-old started as part an unfamiliar side and system with Phillips alongside Tottenham Hotspur's Harry Winks in centre-midfield ahead of a back three.

England were initially unable to find their stride with Wales having the better of the early exchanges but a fine cross from Aston Villa's Jack Grealish set up Everton's Dominic Calvert-Lewin to head home a 26th-minute opener on his international debut.

The Three Lions then improved after the break with strikes from Wolves' Conor Coady and Southampton's Danny Ings putting Southgate's side out of sight.

A Phillips corner led to Ings netting and the Whites midfielder played the full match with his centre midfield partner Winks replaced by Southampton's James Ward-Prowse with 14 minutes left leaving Phillips on his own in his natural holding midfield role.

"I thought the players did very well," said Southgate, speaking to ITV after the 3-0 win at Wembley.

"It's so difficult for almost a completely new team to come together with not a lot of experience around it so I thought they coped with that very well.

"It wasn't fluid at the start but the longer the game wore on they got more and more into the game.

"They solved the tactical problem that Wales posed us when they were pressing and I thought we finished very strongly."

https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/football/leeds-united/history-made-leeds-united-quartet-kalvin-phillips-stuart-dallas-tyler-roberts-and-liam-cooper-home-nations-2997763https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/football/leeds-united/yorkshire-evening-post-launch-leeds-united-only-digital-subscription-ahead-premier-league-campaign-2967964A message from the Editor:

Leeds has a fantastic story to tell - and the Yorkshire Evening Post has been rooted firmly at the heart of telling the stories of our city since 1890.

We believe in ourselves and hope you believe in us too. We need your support to help ensure we can continue to be at the heart of life in Leeds.

https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/why-yorkshire-evening-post-needs-your-support-laura-collins-yep-editor-2913382

Subscribe to our website and enjoy unlimited access to local news and information online and on our app.

With a digital subscription, you can read more than 5 articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content.

Click here to subscribe.

For more details on our newspaper subscription offers click here.

Thank you Laura Collins