A look at Leeds United's return to the Premier League
Leeds United is one of the oldest clubs in the whole of England. They were out of the English top-flight for 16 years, and after fighting in the Championship for three years (2004 -2007), they were relegated to League 1.
They returned to the Championship in 2010 where they would remain for 10 whole years. After appointing 18 different managers in a span of 16 seasons, Marcelo Bielsa joined Leeds United in 2017 and changed the whole face of the club.
With the Argentinian's knowledge of football and the devotion of the players, the Whites were able to return to the Premier League after 16 years in the 2020-21 season.
Leed's first season back in the Premier League
Leeds returned to Premier League with a great performance against former champions Liverpool. Even though they lost the match, their style of football caught the eye of every fan/.
Taking points in every single match on their home turf against the so-called Big 6, Leeds were able to collect 30 points on the road and 29 at their home. Their attacking was able to give them the results they hoped for as they scored 62 goals last season. However, they did also concede 54 goals.
Kalvin Phillips' role in Bielsa's side
The Englishman had been the main protagonist in Marcelo's team, be it in the Championship or in the Premier League. Phillips is a hometown boy who just loves Leeds and the people around him.
Bielsa was able to convince Philips to stay at Leeds as he was out of contract and the team were still in the Championship and the player went on to sign a five-year deal.
The England international has been an important figure for The Whites. In the nine games he didn't play last season, the team managed only two wins while losing seven times. This shows how important Kalvin Phillips is to this team.
After a successful Euro 2020 with England in which the team reached the final, his confidence will be very high. Phillips started all seven games for Southgate's side and played a total of 664 minutes.
What to expect from Leeds next season
Fans have played a crucial part in Leeds getting promoted to the Premier League, as they were the driving force behind them in crucial fixtures, giving them an extra edge. The FA have confirmed that Premier League teams can operate the stadiums at full capacity from next season, which will be great news for everyone at Elland Road.
A new signing in the form of Junior Firpo could be an important figure for Bielsa as he is versatile and can play in different positions.