Richarlison v Kalvin Phillips: why it’s the key battle Everton must win to defeat Leeds United

Everton head out on the road for the first time this season when face Leeds United in the Premier League on Saturday (3.00pm).

Manager Rafa Benitez started his reign at Goodison Park in perfect fashion last weekend with a 3-1 win against Southampton.

The Blues can expect a stern challenge against Marco Bielsa’s Leeds, who began the term in dreadful fashion with a sobering 5-1 loss at Manchester United.

It was Everton who got the better of this fixture last season, with Gylfi Sigurdsson and Dominic Calvert-Lewin on target in a 2-1 victory.

Heading into the clash, we’ve picked out the key battle that the Toffees must come out on top of if they’re to return to Merseyside with all three points.

Who’s Leeds’ key man?

Kalvin Phillips was one of the standout performers in England’s Euro 2020 campaign that ended in penalty shootout heartbreak against Italy in the final.

Despite some questioning his place in Gareth Southgate’s side, he answered all of his critics with aplomb.

Following his impressive performances on the international stage, Phillips was unsurprisingly linked with a big-money move away from Leeds this summer.

In addition, Italian legend Andrea Pirlo has recently lauded his playing style.

Amid the speculation, Phillips has stuck with his boyhood club as they look to continue on their upward trajectory under Bielsa.

How the Whites’ enigmatic manager must have wished he had Phillips available for their opening fixture of the season last weekend.

Leeds fell to a sobering 5-1 loss to heated rivals Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Phillips wasn’t deemed fit enough to play after returning from the Euros late and the Red Devils’ Paul Pogba ran amok in the middle of the park, helping himself to four assists.

After a disastrous start, there’s surely temptation from Bielsa to recall the 25-year-old to his starting XI in what’ll be a rapturous occasion as fans return to Elland Road.

Who must win the battle against him?

Despite making a 16-year return to the Premier League, Leeds proved one of the most excited teams in the division last season.

Over the campaign, they averaged 56.4% possession - which placed them the fourth highest in the league and above the likes of Manchester United, Leicester and Arsenal.

In their clash against Everton at Elland Road, they monopolised the ball and recorded 63% possession.

Leeds would undoubtedly have felt disheartened to have not got anything out of that defeat.

As per Experimental361, the home side recorded an expected goal score of 1.9 to Everton’s 1.3, with Patrick Bamford and Raphina spurning golden chances.

If Benitez’s troops are going to nullify Leeds, starving Phillips of the ball will be a necessity.

In Everton’s victory over Southampton last week, Abdoulaye Doucoure was given more of a licence to break forward than he was under former manager Carlo Ancelotti. He got his reward with a thunderous goal from outside the area.

But now the Toffees are on their travels, Benitez is likely to order the former Watford midfielder to play with more discipline and pragmatism.

At the same time, Everton can ill-afford to give Phillips time on the ball to dictate.

That’s why Richarlison could be fundamental.

Benitez is expected to deploy a 4-4-2 formation once again, only this time with the Brazilian starting centrally rather than on the left flank as he did against Southampton. The switch in roles after half-time yielded his equalising goal.

Richarlison will, naturally, drop slightly deeper than strike partner Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

Therefore, he’s the likeliest player who’ll be tasked with cutting the supply line off for Phillips.

Richarlison certainly has the vim and vigour to harass Phillips throughout.

Despite concerns about his fitness after representing Brazil at both the Copa America and Olympics over the summer, his performance against Southampton demonstrated he’s not suffering the affects of fatigue.

How Richarlison can impact the game

Leeds will try to dominate the ball and Everton’s forays could primarily be limited to counter-attacks.

Should the away side break away at pace then you can expect Richarlison to be at the centre of things.

The forward will likely have the deep-lying Phillips for company when marauding towards goal.

If that’s the case, Richarlison has the guile to force a late challenge and potentially put Phillips on a disciplinary tightrope if he’s issued a yellow card.