When Leeds travelled to League Two Crawley Town on Sunday afternoon, they did so with plenty of confidence.
The Whites have played some swashbuckling football in the Premier League this season and after Marcelo Bielsa chose to field £30m summer signing Rodrigo up top, there really should have only been one winner.
However, the hosts defied the odds to win 3-0. It was one of the biggest upsets we’ve seen in the competition over the last few years with 64 places separating the two sides in the football pyramid.
Leeds were abject but Crawley were superb, playing wonderful counter-attacking football that put Bielsa’s side to the sword.
Kiko Casilla started ahead of Illan Meslier in goal but he failed to cover himself in much glory, putting in a pathetic performance between the sticks - one that rather sums up how his spell at Elland Road has played out.
The Spaniard let the ball through his hands for the first goal and then somehow allowed it to slip between his legs for the second.
However, if we’re looking at outfield players who disappointed, then Kalvin Phillips has to take the blame. The England international was picked at centre-half and clearly wasn’t very comfortable playing in that position.
Alongside Casilla, he was also at fault for the first goal. Nick Tsaroulla dashed past two Leeds players, including Phillips, who didn’t get tight enough to his man and allowed the shot on goal. Had the 25-year-old been more mobile, then he could have blocked the effort or at least made it harder for the player to go beyond him.
That wasn’t the peak of his problems though. Clearly lacking the competency to play at centre-back, he lost possession a mammoth 24 times and completed just 78% of his passes.
For someone like Phillips, a player usually so reliable in possession, this was incredibly surprising to see. The midfielder is normally a robust individual but he also struggled with the physical side of things.
The academy graduate won only six of the 15 duels he contested and was also given a yellow card for his troubles.
Phillips is traditionally one of Leeds’ most reliable players but on this occasion, he let Bielsa down. For someone with ambitions of playing more regularly for England, this display will have done himself no favours.