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Josh Challies

Leeds United fans united in their reaction to Gary Neville's England comments on Kalvin Phillips

After three England matches in quick succession, Premier League football is back this weekend and Kalvin Phillips returns to Leeds United with more international experience.

The 24-year-old has now earned back-to-back call-ups for Gareth Southgate's side, taking his tally of caps to four in the process.

His most recent England appearance came in Wednesday's 1-0 defeat to Denmark in the UEFA Nations League, where he was selected from the start in midfield alongside West Ham's Declan Rice.

Former Manchester United full-back Gary Neville was on co-commentary duty for the match and one particular comment he made did not sit well with Leeds fans.

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“What a learning curve for Kalvin Phillips. He’s probably learnt more in the last four to six weeks than he has done in the last four to six years," he said about the midfielder.

Phillips has, of course, spent the last couple of seasons under the guidance of Marcelo Bielsa, who has played a key role in the managerial careers of the likes of Pep Guardiola and Mauricio Pochettino.

So, the fact that Neville suggested that working with Southgate on the international set-up was more beneficial certainly ruffled a few feathers on social media.

Many fans quickly took to the platform to call Neville out for his comments, as they all made the same point about how Bielsa has taken Phillips to a different level.

It's fair to assume that without Bielsa, Phillips would likely not be anywhere near the England squad and may not even be a Premier League player.

In Neville's defence, his 'four to six weeks' comments may have also orientated around Phillips' experiences in the top-flight but he'll have to choose his words a bit more carefully next time.

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