Leeds United will be hoping to pick up a much-needed win this weekend when they return to action against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground. 

But Marcelo Bielsa's side will be without one of their key players in Kalvin Phillips, who is set to serve the final game of his three-match suspension after his red card against QPR.

Phillips has been crucial to Leeds' positive start to this year's campaign, making 30 appearances in total for the Whites this term, as they target a long-awaited promotion back into the Premier League.

Speaking in an interview with Football Insider, former Leeds man Danny Mills labelled Phillips' absence from this game as a 'blow'.

“With Phillips still suspended, that’s a bit of a blow in the midfield.

“They’ve had a week, they looked a bit jaded against Wigan, it’s a huge game, they battered Forest early on in the season, absolutely battered them and conceded a poor goal, that was a scruffy goal as well."

Mills went on to admit that Leeds look 'vulnerable' when Phillips isn't in their squad, and revealed the knock-on effect that his absence has on Marcelo Bielsa's squad.

“It depends on who plays in midfield, what he does in that area. He’s obviously going to have to switch that around without Kalvin Phillips who is vital. As much as Dallas did alright the other day, they have huge holes at times. 

"There were times where White, Ayling and Cooper were left at the back and there was a huge gap, 30, 40 yards in the middle of the pitch, a huge gap that Kalvin Phillips usually sits there and patrols. Without his discipline in that area, Leeds look vulnerable, especially on the counter-attack."

If other results go their way, a win for Leeds could see them move to the top of the Championship table, although they certainly won't be taking the threat posed by Sabri Lamouchi's side lightly by any stretch of the imagination.

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The Verdict: 

Phillips' absence in this game is going to be a tough one to take.

The red card he got against QPR was a stupid one, and simply wasn't needed. It left Leeds with a bigger problem in future games, as they're having to play Ben White in the CDM role, which leaves a sizeable void in the heart of the defence.

Leeds need to start to put together a positive run of form at the earliest of opportunities, otherwise I think we'll see a similar scenario to that of last season, when they dropped into the play-offs late in their league campaign.

It's no coincidence that this recent slump in form has come when Phillips has been suspended.