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Kieran King

Things spotted in Leeds United training as Daniel James looks sharp but no Kalvin Phillips

Leeds United will be looking to record their second successive Premier League win when they make the trip to face Southampton on Saturday afternoon.

Marcelo Bielsa's side earned a much-needed 1-0 success against Watford last time out, with Diego Llorente scoring the all-important goal at Elland Road.

Meanwhile, Southampton are winless and currently sit just outside the relegation zone with just four points from their opening seven matches.

It's a crucial game for both sides, but Leeds will want to gather some momentum heading into a busy period of the season and can take some encouragement from their result in this fixture last season.

The Whites have been preparing for the game at Thorp Arch, with Bielsa putting his team through their paces to ensure they're ready for the task at hand.

Someone who looked particularly sharp in training was Daniel James, fresh from impressing for Wales during the international break.

Daniel James staying sharp over the international break. (LUTV)

The 23-year-old netted an equaliser in their 2-2 draw with Czech Republic, before playing a key role in a determined success against Estonia, which took Rob Page's men a step closer to World Cup qualification.

But James seems to have come back with an edge to his game and he seems determined to kick-on following a positive couple of weeks in the Welsh camp.

Even before that, the winger arguably put in his best performance for Leeds so far in the win over Watford, with many supporters praising him on social media.

That was his fifth appearance in a Whites shirt since making the £25m move from Manchester United in the summer, having previously featured against Liverpool, Newcastle United, Fulham and West Ham United.

Although it was a much-improved display, James is yet to register a goal or an assist and that's something he will hope to change in the trip to the South Coast.

Ahead of the game, he has been seen in the LUTV training video working hard alongside his teammates, particularly on the shuttle runs and the five-yard sprints.

Daniel James working hard in Leeds training. (LUTV)

Pace is one of James' most dangerous attributes and he can cause chaos when he uses it effectively, so putting that to the test in training looks a smart idea.

He was also spotted in a game of 'Rondo', which is where the team will form a circle and try to keep the ball off the defenders who chase to intercept it back.

Jack Harrison, who lost his place to James in the starting XI after he contracted Covid-19, looked sharp in that drill, whilst a number of academy players joined in the session.

Adam Forshaw also took the training field as he recovers from his injury, whilst there was no sign of Junior Firpo and Kalvin Phillips.

This may worry Leeds fans as there was no mention that they would miss the game at St Mary's Stadium in Bielsa's pre-match conference.

However, James, on the other hand, could take the responsibility in the creative void left by Raphinha, who is likely to sit out after featuring for Brazil on Friday morning.

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