Spotlight on Kalvin Phillips with Leeds United midfielder back with a bang and aiding Mateusz Klich's task

KALVIN Phillips returned from suspension with a majestic display in Tuesday night's 1-1 draw at Brentford in which the midfielder proved easily the game's most impactful player.
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Phillips enjoyed more possession than any other player on the park with 94 touches for an impressive 9.8 per cent of the play.

Better still, the 24-year-old rarely wasted the ball when in possession with Phillips boasting a fine passing success rate of 87 per cent, bettered only by Whites substitute Jean-Kevin Augustin who only made two passes, both of which were successful.

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Phillips attempted a whopping 76 passes with 66 of those accurate and one key pass that created a chance.

IMPRESSIVE RETURN: From Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips, right, pictured celebrating Liam Cooper's equaliser at Brentford. Picture by Bruce Rollinson.IMPRESSIVE RETURN: From Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips, right, pictured celebrating Liam Cooper's equaliser at Brentford. Picture by Bruce Rollinson.
IMPRESSIVE RETURN: From Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips, right, pictured celebrating Liam Cooper's equaliser at Brentford. Picture by Bruce Rollinson.

As part of a high energy and all-encompassing display, the Whites midfielder also proved successful with two of his three attempted tackles with only United's Luke Ayling and Brentford's Rico Henry offering more with five and four respectively.

The Yorkshire Pirlo also managed 14 ball recoveries - the most on the pitch - plus one interception and one successful dribble with United's Mateusz Klich top in the latter category with five out of five successful - the best on the park.

Klich - who had been dropping deeper at times in Phillips' absence - clearly benefited from the 24-year-old's assured presence and return to the holding midfield role, allowing the Pole to storm forward in a bid to bolster United's attacking threat.

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Ben White - the other attempted answer to replace Phillips - was also able to renew his excellent partnership with Liam Cooper at centre-back.

In the end, Leeds had to settle for a gift from Bees 'keeper David Raya for their only goal through Cooper.

The return of Phillips, though, will clearly stand the Whites in excellent stead, both defensively and offensively for the promotion run-in.