Kalvin Phillips' role in the Leeds United team can almost be described as irreplaceable and his recent absence has been a blow after picking up a hamstring injury last month.
The 26-year-old had be taken off in the 2-2 draw with Brentford on December 5 last year and he hasn't been available since, missing the last six matches as a consequence.
Marcelo Bielsa revealed that Phillips is set to be out until March, which means that the Whites won't have him for at least the next five games, including this weekend's important clash with Newcastle United.
Although Leeds have recorded successive victories against Burnley and West Ham United, Phillips has still been a big miss and the Whites could do with him back sooner rather than later.
Robin Koch deputised for Phillips in that defensive midfield role at the London Stadium last time out, while Adam Forshaw has also dropped deeper to fill the void in recent weeks.
It could be argued that the England international is one of the best at what he does in the country, breaking up the play, winning the ball back and providing a shield for the Leeds back-line.
In actual fact, Phillips has actually recorded the most pressures applied, per 90 minutes, out of the 'Other14' clubs (bar the so-called 'Big Six') in the Premier League this season so far (27.78).
Newcastle United midfielder Sean Longstaff sits second with 26.44, while Pierre Lees-Melou of Norwich City (25.98), Everton's Allan (25.83) and Leicester City stopper Wilfried Ndidi (24.62) make up the top-five.
Phillips' teammate Mateusz Klich is sixth, having averaged 23.63 pressures per game, while Newcastle United have the most representatives on the 20-man table with four players.
The list includes every team apart from the traditional top-six in Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.
It's safe to say Leeds have missed Phillips at the centre of their midfield and he typifies Marcelo Bielsa's high pressing, counter-attacking style of football with his athleticism and strength.
When out of possession, the Whites adopt a man-to-man style which requires every player to be at peak physical fitness to match their marker all over the pitch.
Phillips sets the tone and can be the lynchpin to make things tick for Leeds, and although Koch and Forshaw have done well in his absence, he does that pressing job better than most.
Alongside that impressive pressure statistic, Phillips has also registered 2 tackles, 1.1 interceptions and 1.4 dribbles per match, demonstrating his defensive and progressive ability to keep Leeds tight at the back.
It's a tough role to perfect, but Phillips has proven his quality and has been integral to the Whites' success in recent years, attracting interest from a whole host of Premier League clubs.
Manchester United and Liverpool have expressed their interest in the midfielder, but Leeds are keen to keep him and extend Phillips' contract beyond 2025.
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