Injury expert fears ‘awful’ Phillips break down after Leeds latest
There is a risk that Leeds United favourite Kalvin Phillips could break down once again in the coming weeks as he returns from injury.
So says injury expert Ben Dinnery, who runs the Premier Injuries site and has a background in medicine and data analysis.
Phillips returned from a calf setback in the 2-0 defeat to Arsenal in the League Cup on 27 October.
The 25-year-old tempo-dictating midfielder, an ever-present when fit, had been absent since before the October international break.
The Leeds academy graduate took to Instagram after the final whistle to voice that he was: “Disappointed to be out but glad to be back out there.”
Dinnery explains that the England international risks a repeat of his injury while he is phased back into first-team proceedings.
“Kalvin Phillips has been in training for a while,” he told Football Insider correspondent Adam Williams.
“Bielsa spoke about how he could have been available in game week eight but he wasn’t comfortable.
“He might not have been at his best with regards to a lack of fitness. Then he also missed out on game week nine when he chose to put him on the bench.
“Is there a chance of injury recurrence? Yes, as always. Sometimes we don’t even know why. That, of course, would be awful news for Leeds.
“Players may surpass their baseline testing and exceed every metric. However, the moment they step foot on the pitch, they could suffer a setback.
“Sometimes there’s just no explanation. We know that Bielsa looks to make sure the club is doing everything within its power to minimise that risk.“
In other news, Leeds United tipped to axe star after early Patrick Bamford news pre-Norwich.