Leeds United team news - Marcelo Bielsa reveals latest on Mateusz Klich, Kalvin Phillips and Rodrigo for Aston Villa clash

Bielsa is unsure if Klich, who had to be substituted after appearing to injure his back in midweek against Southampton, will be fit to face Villa.

"Klich is doing pretty well," he said

"Rodrigo and Kalvin won't be available this week. [As for Klich] I don't know."

Bielsa says Leeds are treading carefully with Phillips' calf problem to avoid losing him again to a similar problem.

"There is a phrase I try to use frequently, a phrase that's made up, that states the player will return subject to his evolution," he said.

"When he got injured, like I told you, he had the option of having a quicker return. But his injury is in his calf, it's a place where we have to avoid him having a recurrence because they make the situation worse. So we're being very cautious so when he returns, he returns for definite."

Phillips has missed Leeds' last three games with the problem he picked up late on against Crystal Palace, in his 200th appearance for his hometown club.

The Whites' Elland Road win over Southampton featured tributes to the midfielder's late 'Granny Val' who passed away a week ago.

When Leeds met Aston Villa earlier in the season Phillips sat out with a shoulder problem as his team-mates secured three points with a 3-0 victory. On that occasion Bielsa went with Pascal Struijk in Phillips' role, but withdrew him in the first half after an early yellow card and sent Jamie Shackleton on to partner Mateusz Klich in the middle.

Shackleton is currently out with a groin problem sustained earlier this week.

Rodrigo picked up a groin problem in the win at Leicester City at the end of January when he stretched for a ball. The club's record signing has had a disrupted first season at Elland Road, missing two games through Covid-19 after first getting up to speed.