Kalvin Phillips returned to Leeds United’s starting XI on Saturday against Middlesbrough and popped up with his first goal of the season to snatch a late, late point at the Riverside Stadium.  

Leeds’ academy graduate has been in impressive form this season for the Whites, excelling in a defensive midfield role and also proving his worth at centre-back.

However, a red card against Nottingham Forest on New Year’s Day led to a suspension, and since then, he’s been in and out of the side.

A report from the Yorkshire Evening Post has suggested that Phillips now faces a real battle with Adam Forshaw for the defensive midfield role at Leeds, with claims that the latter would’ve started, if fit, against Boro.

For Phillips, he will relish that battle and see it as another opportunity to prove people wrong at Elland Road.

Phillips, 23, made his debut for Leeds at Wolves back in April 2015, with the midfielder featuring under seven head-coaches since – Neil Redfearn, Uwe Rosler, Steve Evans, Garry Monk, Thomas Christiansen, Paul Heckingbottom and now, Marcelo Bielsa.

Despite that, it wasn’t until last year under Christiansen when Phillips really established himself as a first-team player, with the midfielder making a fantastic goalscoring start to the season.

He finished the 2017/18 campaign with seven goals to his name, but still he didn’t convince everyone, with supporters not fully backing him.

Now, under Bielsa, he has the support of 95% of Elland Road, with Phillips a real key player in the Argentine’s 4-1-4-1 system. He sits and allows the full-backs to bomb forward, whilst his passing is exceptional and helps Leeds build from the back.

Yet, his place in the starting XI isn’t guaranteed, with Phillips battling Forshaw for the ‘No.4 role’ under Bielsa.

Whilst many fans believe Phillips should be the obvious choice in the role, it’s ultimately Bielsa’s decision and Phillips has to prove himself to his head-coach.

The Leeds-born, tough-tackling midfielder will thrive doing that, with his performance against Middlesbrough giving him an edge in this developing battle with Forshaw.