Stuart Dallas has admitted he is not surprised that Ben White has impressed since moving into the Leeds United midfield in recent weeks.

Brighton and Hove Albion loanee, White, has been forced to step into the heart of the Leeds United midfield in two of United’s last three games following concerns over Kalvin Phillips. The combative midfielder has been in and out of the side after being forced off in the victory over Reading last month.

The transition has seen White step into the holding midfield role with Gaetano Berardi coming into the squad to partner Liam Cooper in the Leeds defence. White has been very impressive stepping up into the midfield and contributed to clean sheets against both Middlesbrough and Huddersfield Town.

Dallas knows a thing or two about versatility with the Northern Ireland international featuring in several positions during his five-year spell with the club. Dallas can be found nowadays playing regularly at left-back which has allowed him to see the work that White does first-hand.

In an interview with the Yorkshire Evening Post, Dallas explained that he was not surprised to see White make a smooth transition into midfield: “Ben is a good player. He’s not silly, he knows what to do and he’s watching Kalvin.

“But we learn from the coaching staff every day and he’s not just thrown in there. He works really hard in that position.

“The coaches work really hard on his position and his movement and everything and he has done really well. He has put himself about and I am delighted for him.”

White has been impressive in both holding midfield and at centre-back this campaign which has quickly made him a favourite amongst the Leeds United supporters. However, the Brighton man looks set to return to his regular role as a central defender on Sunday as Phillips returns to the side for the trip to Cardiff City.

The game is crucial for Leeds as they look to return to the Premier League for the first time in 16 years. However, the clash with Neil Harris’ men will be a difficult one with Cardiff having already shown their ability to give Marcelo Bielsa’s side a game this season.

Helder Costa and Patrick Bamford had put Leeds in a powerful position in the reverse fixture, but the Bluebirds staged a dramatic comeback in the last half an hour. Lee Tomlin got the ball rolling before Sean Morrison and Robert Glatzel scored in the last ten minutes to ensure they left Elland Road with a point.

The Verdict

Although Leeds United fans will be incredibly happy to see the return of Phillips into their midfield, they cannot deny that White has shown his class in recent weeks. Phillips has played such a huge part in Leeds climbing to the top of the Sky Bet Championship this season, with his role seemingly made perfectly just for him. However, White has come in and shown that he has the qualities to play that role to a very similar level.

White has made huge strides in his progression over the last few of seasons as he has slowly made his way up the Football League pyramid. Productive spells with both Newport County and Peterborough United have helped shape him into the player that the Leeds United supporters are enjoying this campaign. Leeds will surely be desperate to bring White back to the club next season should they win promotion to the Premier League.