It’s back
Leeds striker is back in fashion..scoring twice and signing new deal
BOLTON 2 LEEDS 3
KALVIN PHILLIPS signed a new deal with Leeds this week – and celebrated by doubling his career goal tally at Bolton.
The local lad had scored just twice in his previous 52 games for the Yorkshire club but hit two more in the opening 42 minutes as Thomas Christiansen marked his first game with a win.
And the Spanish boss revealed Manchester United defender Cameron Borthwick-Jackson (above) is set to join on loan.
Christiansen may need the versatile 20-year-old more quickly than anticipated after defenders Gaetano Berardi and Matthew Pennington were both substituted at Bolton with shoulder and ankle injuries, respectively.
IF Thomas Christiansen needed a rough guide to life in the Championship, he got it at a rainy Macron Stadium.
The new Leeds boss saw Kalvin Phillips score twice, then his side were forced to hang on against promoted Bolton. But victory and some clinical attacking had 4,800 long-suffering away fans dreaming of Christiansen finally delivering a return to the big time.
They certainly did not waste the chance to remind Garry Monk what he left behind when he quit the club in May after nearly leading them into the play-offs.
Leeds fans hurled abuse in his direction all afternoon and the clashes with Monk’s new club Middlesbrough could be two of the more stormy in the Championship this season. They may also have a big say on promotion, based on Leeds’ convincing play for long spells.
Christiansen said: “This was just what I expected the Championship to be like.
“It was the tough game I expected and a result I dreamed of – getting three points.
“It was my first win in this league, but now we have to focus because we’re getting into the rhythm of games with games every weekend and midweek.
“But it was important to start our first game with a win, especially away from home.”
It took just seven minutes for Christiansen to see his team score after Pablo Hernandez’s corner found Phillips unmarked and the Leeds-born youngster calmly side-footed into the roof of the net.
Leeds doubled their lead on the half hour. Kemar Roofe crossed for new-boy Ezgjan Alioski to head goalwards and Chris Wood nodded in from four yards.
Wood scored 27 of Leeds’
61 league goals last season and has been attracting Premier League attention in the transfer window.
Christiansen said: “There is no guarantee of anything, but if somebody wants him, they have to pay a lot.”
Bolton looked threatening at set-pieces and were back in it after 39 minutes from Josh Vela’s left-wing corner.
With new Leeds keeper Felix Wiedwald conspicuous by his absence, Gary Madine powered in an unstoppable close-range header.
Bolton would have hoped to go in at the interval just a goal down, but Leeds hit back within three minutes.
Hernandez threaded through a pass for Wood and with the defence appealing incorrectly for offside, the Kiwi coolly waited for Mark Howard to commit before squaring for Phillips to roll the ball into an empty net.
Leeds continued to carve out the best chances, but sub Conor Shaughnessy needlessly wrestled with Madine at a corner and Adam Le Fondre’s penalty gave the Trotters renewed hope.