Phillips comes down to earth with a bang
ENGLAND STARLET WINS IT - BUT FOR WOLVES
KALVIN PHILLIPS was Leeds’ head boy yet again – but for the wrong reasons.
Phillips nodded Raul Jimenez’s shot into his own net to give Wolves victory in front of watching England boss Gareth Southgate.
It was tough on Phillips, who has been key to Leeds’ renaissance under Marcelo Bielsa, right, and their return to the top flight.
Phillips had made his Premier League and England debuts this season but football can be fickle.
Wolves can argue they deserved to record a fourth successive league win over Leeds for the first time since 1960. They turned the game on its head in the second half after being outgunned in the first 45 minutes.
Leeds dominated the first half, despite losing skipper Liam Cooper when he felt discomfort in his groin in the warm- up. Saturday’s Goodison Park villains David Coote and Michael Oliver had their roles reversed last night and were again in the spotlight when Leeds had a penalty claim.
Helder Costa went nt down as Joao Moutinho nho stuck out an arm, but ut neither referee e Coote nor VAR official Oliver felt it justified a spot t kick.
Costa shot wide de against his old club after Rodrigo laid id off Patrick Bamford’s cross.
Southgate would have been impressed by Conor Coady’s goalsaving challenge on Bamford and Rui Patricio stopped Rodrigo’s shot at the back post.
Yet for all Leeds’ possession, Wolves m might have scored just before the interval fro from the best chance of the half. Leander Dendoncker crossed from the right, Romain Saiss pulled it back and Daniel Po Podence’s vicious shot was expertly saved by Illan M Meslier.
That chance marked a turning point as Wolves took charge. They thought they had scored when Saiss volleyed home, only for Oliver to rule it out for offside. This time Oliver was right.
A diving Meslier saved Leeds again when he pushed away Podence’s shot, but Wolves’ pressure paid off on 70 minutes when Phillips deflected in Jimenez’s effort.
Pablo Hernandez had a shot deflected over as Leeds went close to an equaliser.
LEEDS ( 3- 5- 2): Meslier 8; Ayling 6, Koch 6, Struijk 6 ( Hernandez 75); Costa 7 ( Poveda 70, 6), Dallas 6, Phillips 7, Klich 6, Harrison 6 ( Raphinha 82); Rodrigo 7, Bamford 6.
WOLVES ( 3- 5- 2): Patricio 7; Boly 6, Coady 7, Kilman 6; Semedo 6, Dendoncker 6, Moutinho 5 ( Neves 82), Neto 6 ( Marcal 89), Saiss 7; Podence 7 ( Traore 65, 6), Jimenez 7. Goal: Jimenez 70.