Grealish brag backfires as Kalvin Phillips reveals Villa star’s Leeds vow

Jack Grealish

Kalvin Phillips has revealed how Jack Grealish’s promise to the Leeds star came back to bite him on the behind following Aston Villa’s defeat on Friday evening.

Villa went into the game with a 100% record from their first four Premier League games this season. However, Patrick Bamford scored a hat-trick to take all three points back to Elland Road.

It was a particularly sweet victory for Leeds fans, who had taken issue with Gabriel Agbonlahor’s comments in the buildup to the game.

Villa’s defeat was their first of the season and after the game, Dean Smith admitted his side had gotten away with 3-0 in the end.

The setback also will have frustrated Villa’s talisman Grealish. Prior to the game, he had bragged to Phillips, while the pair were on England duty, how his side would have no trouble despatching of Marcelo Bielsa’s men.

While fierce rivals on the pitch, the pair formed an unlikely alliance during England duty recently.

During their time together on the international scene, Phillips revealed how Grealish told him his side would still be 100% after their meeting with Leeds.

Phillips – who ended up missing the match with a shoulder injury – of course had other ideas.

“I get along with Jack Grealish quite well, even though when we play Villa I try to kick him,” he told the Leeds That podcast.

 

 

“It is just banter between us. When we were at England he said he couldn’t wait for the game. He claimed he was going to rip us apart.

“But I told him ‘You won’t. Because I’m going to take you out as soon as I see you’. It is just one of them where you just throw banter at one another.”

 


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Phillips praises Bamford

Patrick Bamford

Leeds’ win came from a glorious Patrick Bamford hat-trick. The treble took the much-maligned forward to six goals from six games

However, Phillips insists Bielsa’s faith in the striker never once wavered.

He said: “Patrick Bamford has had so much stick, but he (Bielsa) has been so consistent with him. Look at him now, he’s on top of the world, scoring unbelievable hat-tricks against Aston Villa.”

 

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