NOBODY KNOWS HOW HARD IT’S BEEN

Phillips on the problems and pride involved in home-town club’s fight for Prem survival

KALVIN PHILLIPS says “nobody knows how difficult it’s been” after Leeds’ dramatic final-day relegation escape act.

Phillips and his teammates defied the odds – and many pundits – by winning at Brentford to clinch a third season in the Premier League and send Burnley down.

Boss Jesse Marsch (inset, below) was without several key players for the decisive clash because of injury, illness and suspension, such as Patrick Bamford, Luke Ayling and Stuart Dallas.

Marsch was parachuted in at the end of February to replace the idolised Marcelo

Bielsa (inset, top) with Leeds in freefall, and Phillips says the last few months have been extremely tough.

The England midfielder is hugely relieved to have helped his beloved hometown club survive and says the scenes in the dressing room after Sunday’s clash were amazing.

“I can’t really describe the moment in the dressing room, we all just got in there together and the manager did a little speech,” he said.

“Nobody from the outside knows how difficult it’s been this season. Everyone speculates as to what’s going on, how things have gone, but nobody knows how difficult it’s been.

“To come through on the last day to get the result at

Brentford is an amazing feeling. It’s my home-town club and to help keep us up on the last day is an amazing feeling.

“We knew we just had to stick to our plan and we knew that we always wanted to go there and give ourselves an opportunity to stay up, and we did that in the last minute.”

That game might prove to be Phillips’ last for Leeds as Manchester City want him to replace the departing Fernandinho.

The 26-year-old has two years left on his contract and has always said he does not want to leave Elland Road.

However he and Leeds may find it impossible to turn down City if they follow up their interest with a substantial offer.

Raphinha and Jack Harrison are also wanted and Barcelona believe they can lure the former to the Nou Camp. Harrison is being tracked by Tottenham and Newcastle, but Leeds do not want to lose the talented left-winger.

Raphinha opened the scoring at Brentford before Harrison scored his lastminute winner, and Phillips praised the contribution from the club’s two top scorers this season.

He added: “Rapha has been unbelievable ever since he came in through the door.

“He’s had a lot of critics over the last few months, but his attitude and the way he’s stuck at it, he’s been unbelievable.

“So has Jack, he is just one of those players who never rests. He always wants to be working on his game, he always wants to do extra to make himself better.”