Leeds United will face Reading in their next Championship game on Saturday at Elland Road.

The Whites returned to winning ways in the previous game after they defeated Bristol City 1-0 at home.

Ahead of the match, Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa has delivered his verdict on midfielder Kalvin Phillips.

The 24-year-old midfielder was simply superb in his last two games against Brentford and Bristol City. He was outstanding against Bristol and produced a masterclass performance.

Phillips was red-carded during Leeds’ 1-0 defeat against Queens Park Rangers and as a result, missed three games through suspension.

There is a feeling that the break has helped him re-discover his form and fitness. However, the Argentine boss has a different opinion.

Bielsa feels it had a ‘worse effect’ on the player and as a result ‘he had problems in co-ordination, speed, agility’ against Brentford.

“Worse effect. He was three matches out, he played the match with the under-23s, technically he was very good, the attitude he played was excellent. And he had problems in co-ordination, speed, agility in the match against Brentford he had fee opportunities to touch the ball to organise the play, just from the minute from 30 to 45 that he was in the contest the rest no,” said Bielsa (read the whole interview here).

Leeds are second in the Championship table, four points behind West Bromwich Albion. The Whites are one of the favourites for securing promotion to the Premier League this season, and Phillips will have to play a massive role for the club till the end of the season.

Phillips has been targeted by several Premier League clubs, but his future largely depends on where Leeds finish at the end of the season. He is too good a player to be playing in the Championship, and this could be his last season in the second tier of English football.