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Gary Neville makes huge Kalvin Phillips claim as Leeds United man’s form keeps Liverpool star at bay

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Image for Gary Neville makes huge Kalvin Phillips claim as Leeds United man’s form keeps Liverpool star at bay

Leeds United’s Kalvin Phillips made quite the impression in his Euro 2020 bow for England, and Gary Neville believes there’s no question over his starting berth against Scotland.

The Three Lions started their Euro 2020 campaign off against Croatia on Sunday in front of a expectant Wembley crowd, as Gareth Southgate hoped for vindication in his bold team selection.

Three choices divided opinion: Kieran Tripper starting at left-back, Raheem Sterling getting the nod at left-wing, and Kalvin Phillips starting in central midfield.

All three of those players justified selection in the starting lineup emphatically, as Trippier kept a clean sheet, while Phillips and Sterling combined for the match-winning goal in the second half.

Phillips was given the Player of the Match award for England after bossing the midfield with intense pressing throughout the game as well as a true moment of class to tee up the game’s only goal as he broke through Croatia’s midfield.

If there were any doubts regarding Phillips’ international credentials, that performance against the 2018 World Cup finalists has blown them out of the water.

As Jordan Henderson regains fitness, pundit Gary Neville believes Phillips is still a certainty to start against Scotland on Friday.

Speaking on Sky Sports (quotes via Leeds Live), Neville had this to say on how Southgate should lineup:

That midfield won’t change.

Jordan Henderson is not at the same level at this moment of time fitness-wise, games-wise as Kalvin Phillips and Declan Rice.

I said last night that I felt Harry Kane was undroppable in this England team. I’d put probably Declan Rice, it seems quite a strange statement to make, pretty much up there as well at this moment in time. He’s going to play every single game, Declan Rice.

And I think Kalvin Phillips now, the way he played the first game is going to play alongside him. I don’t see Gareth Southgate changing that. They’ve got a good partnership, they’ve got good rotation in midfield, they pass well together, they play well together and they’re certainly further ahead with their fitness than Jordan is at this moment in time.

I’m with Neville on this one, and I think just about every England fan will be too.

Henderson was unispiring in his appearance against Romania and needs more time to recapture his peak fitness and form, while Phillips and Rice are blossoming.

That partnership can’t be altered really after a performance like that against a formidable Croatia midfield, and they’ll be eager to continue that against Scotland.

The game against Croatia was won on our dominance in midfield and you’d expect the same on Friday, something that Rice and Phillips have locked down between them.

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Leeds United season ticket holder since 2013/14, currently situated in the middle of the FA5 noise. From Pablo Hernandez to 5-1 drubbings, I've seen it all at Elland Road.