Jose Mourinho suggests what Gareth Southgate should have done with Kalvin Phillips in England stalemate vs Scotland

Jose Mourinho has argued that England manager Gareth Southgate should have substituted Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips in Friday night's 0-0 stalemate against Scotland if he was serious about winning the match.
Kalvin Phillips of England. (Photo by Matt Dunham - Pool/Getty Images)Kalvin Phillips of England. (Photo by Matt Dunham - Pool/Getty Images)
Kalvin Phillips of England. (Photo by Matt Dunham - Pool/Getty Images)

The Elland Road favourite started his second successive match at Euro 2020 after his standout display against Croatia last weekend.

The Three Lions struggled to pose much of a threat against a resolute Scottish side, however, and were ultimately frustrated by a solid defensive display from the visitors.

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Reflecting on the result on talkSPORT after the match, Mourinho suggested that it would have benefited Southgate's side had he replaced Phillips with a more attacking option in the closing stages.

“What was so good against Croatia – the double pivot, if you want to call it that – was Rice and Phillips”, he said.

"Tonight, I would say that if England needed to win this match I think Phillips would be out in minute 60, 65 and then England would go with a little bit more creativity.

"But again, I think it was the pragmatism of the result, let’s say the fear of losing it, that kept them on the pitch, that kept the clean sheet.”

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The former Chelsea and Manchester United manager went on to claim that the result, while disappointing, wasn’t a disaster for England.

He added: “In the end, if they don’t read the press and they focus on ‘We have four points, we have qualified, we are going to beat Czech Republic’, then it probably wasn’t as bad as our feelings are.”