Ben Parker has showered heaps of praise on Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips, saying he has taken his game to a whole new level this season.

Phillips was outstanding for Leeds last season under Marcelo Bielsa. He was the midfield engine for the Yorkshire club and his impressive performance didn’t go unnoticed as several Premier League clubs did try to sign him in the summer transfer window.

The 23-year-old has been in outstanding form this season as well, and Parker believes he has got even better. Arguably, he has become the most important player in Bielsa’s system.

With England preparing for their latest Euro 2020 qualifiers over the coming days, Parker feels that Gareth Southgate should take a look at Phillips who can be as good as anyone else. He says that the young midfielder has developed an all-round maturity in his game, and therefore deserves a chance to play at the highest level.

“If we’re talking England midfielders, there’s no real standout names when you go through the squad. It’s not like years gone by, when you’ve got the likes of Scholes, Gerrard, Lampard, players playing for top, top clubs, winning trophies all over Europe,” he told Ls11.

“I fully agree with you. The role he does, I don’t see many better. The times you watch Match of the Day or see a game on Super Sunday or whatever, you just think Kalvin can do that. But he does it better. His overall game is so mature as well. He’s a beast, just smashes people out the way.

“I thought last year he was fantastic, but he seems to have gone up another notch this season.”

Leeds fans will be more than happy to see Philips getting the deserved rest during the international break as the club need him to be on top of his game after that.

The Whites are one of the favourites to win promotion to the Premier League this season. They find themselves third in the Championship table, two points behind leaders West Brom.