Leeds United took another big step towards the Premier League with a huge 2-1 victory over promotion-chasing Sunderland at Elland Road on Monday night.
The Whites were up against the fourth-placed side in the division and had the chance to move seven points clear of third place, after Burnley’s 0-0 draw with Preston North End at the weekend.
A first-half strike from Wilson Isidor put the away side 1-0 up heading into the break and it looked like Daniel Farke’s side were on course to pass up their chance to extend their lead at the top.
As you can see in the highlights above, however, substitute centre-back Pascal Struijk came up with two headers to turn the game around and secure all three points for the hosts on the night.
The West Yorkshire outfit are now well on course to secure automatic promotion to the Premier League as they sit seven points clear of third place with 13 matches left to play in the Championship.
Leeds were last promotion to the top-flight under Marcelo Bielsa in the 2019/20 campaign, and Kalvin Phillips was integral to their success the next season.
Kalvin Phillips' step up to the Premier League
The Whites academy graduate was a pivotal figure in the Bielsa era at Elland Road because of his performances in both the Championship and the Premier League.
Phillips, who currently plays for Ipswich Town, started 37 of the club’s 46 league matches in the 2019/20 season to help his side to promotion to the top-flight.
It was then down to the England international, and his teammates, to make the step up to the Premier League to ensure that they did not drop straight back down to the Championship in the following season.
The defensive midfielder went on to play 29 of the club’s 38 top-flight matches in the 2020/21 campaign as Leeds finished inside the top ten, avoiding relegation by a mile.
Tackles
2.74
Top 12%
Interceptions
1.67
Top 18%
Blocks
1.82
Top 9%
Clearances
1.96
Top 9%
Aerial duels won
1.11
Top 39%
As you can see in the table above, Phillips was an outstanding defensive force in the middle of the park for the Whites in comparison to his fellow midfielders in the Premier League that term.
The English brute consistently made tackles and interceptions to win possession back for his side, which prevented the opposition from creating chances whilst also creating opportunities for the likes of Raphinha and Rodrigo to cause problems on the counter-attack.
As shown in the highlights above, Phillips was far more than just a destroyer, as he also provided quality on the ball as a dribbler and a passer in the 2020/21 campaign.
He ended that Premier League season with five ‘big chances’ created and a pass accuracy of 85%, showing that the midfield star provided quality in and out of possession for Bielsa.
Farke may have his own version of Phillips brewing at Leeds in the form of central midfielder Darko Gyabi, who is currently out on loan at Plymouth Argyle.
Darko Gyabi's progression at Plymouth
The former Manchester City prospect initially joined the Pilgrims on loan from Leeds for the second half of the 2023/24 campaign, before returning for a season-long loan this term.
Gyabi has made 30 appearances in the Championship so far this term and has shown potential to be a future star for Leeds if he can continue to progress and develop as a player.
Analyst Ben Mattinson once described him as a “dominant” force in midfield due to the physicality that he can provide, and added that the midfield whiz “glides through games” because of his athleticism and ability on the ball.
Appearances
11
30
Pass accuracy
73%
83%
Tackles made per game
1.7
1.8
Ground duel success rate
53%
58%
Aerial duel success rate
50%
51%
As you can see in the table above, Gyabi has shown progression from his first six months at Argyle to his current form for the Championship side, as he has improved his effectiveness in duels and his efficiency as a passer.
It remains to be seen whether or not the 21-year-old starlet will be able to make the step up to the Premier League next season if he returns to Leeds upon promotion to the top-flight, but his performance against Liverpool in the FA Cup recently suggests that the potential is there for him to do so.
Darko Gyabi's Premier League potential
The England youth international had a huge chance to showcase his quality against a Premier League level side when Liverpool came to Pride Park in the fourth round of the FA Cup earlier this month.
Gyabi lined up in the middle of the park against the experienced Wataru Endo and England U21 international Harvey Elliott and caught the eye with a fantastic performance in a historic 1-0 win for the Championship strugglers.
The Leeds United loanee played the full 90 minutes of the impressive result for Plymouth and his performance suggested that the potential is there for him to be Farke’s own version of Kalvin Phillips.
As aforementioned, the England international was a well-rounded midfielder who could offer quality as a passer, dribbler, and defensive force for Bielsa in midfield.
Minutes
90
Pass accuracy
86%
Dribbles completed
2/2
Ground duels won
6/8
Tackles + interceptions
5
Dribbled past
0x
As you can see in the table above, Gyabi produced a dominant midfield display against the Premier League leaders, winning the vast majority of his duels without being dribbled past a single time.
He also showcased his ability on the ball by being reliable with his passes and getting his team up the pitch by completing 100% of his attempted dribbles.
These statistics, alongside his progression at Plymouth in the Championship, suggest that Farke could unearth his own version of Phillips by offering Gyabi a chance in the first-team next season, whether that is in the Premier League or not.
He is a physically and technically gifted central midfielder, with plenty of years left ahead of him to develop, and could be a future star for the Whites in midfield.
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