Jurgen Klopp expected Nathaniel Phillips to leave Liverpool in the transfer window but could hand the rookie his Premier League debut on Saturday to solve his defensive injury crisis.
Klopp was so convinced Phillips would be moving on that he left him out of the Champions League squad he submitted to UEFA at the start of the season.
But with Virgil Van Dijk, Joel Matip and Fabinho all ruled out, the Liverpool manager is “thanking God” the 23-year-old remained at Anfield and is considering playing him in the tea-time fixture against West Ham.
Bolton-born Phillips – son of former Wanderers defender Jimmy – has made only one senior appearance for Liverpool but it was a notable one, last season’s FA Cup third round 1-0 win over Everton.
And Klopp received impressive reports from his native Germany of the 22 appearances Phillips made in two loan spells with Stuttgart last season which prompted interest from two other Bundesliga clubs, Schalke and Werder Bremen, as well as English clubs during the transfer window.
None of them matched Liverpool’s valuation so now Phillips is vying with two other youngsters, Rhys Williams and Billy Koumetio, to face a Hammers team, which much to Liverpool’s relief will be without in-form striker Michail Antonio.
Klopp said: “They have all done well in training but I’ve known Nat the longest and been really happy with his development. He’s made big, big steps and is an exceptional character.
“There were a lot of clubs interested in him and we all expected him to leave the club to be honest. In the end maybe because of the Coronavirus nobody had the money to do it.
“Thank God he didn’t leave but that is the only reason he is not in the Champions League squad but he is available for the Premier League – all three are – and now I have to make a decision.
“Rhys’ progress in the last few months since he has been with the first team squad has been exceptional. It’s one of the benefits of having an elite development coach [Vitor Matos] on the coaching staff because he made us aware of him and said ‘take him in training, he looks good’ so that’s what we did – and he looks good.”
Klopp could also consider moving a more senior player into the centre of the defence alongside Joe Gomez, adding: “We still have other options like Hendo [Jordan Henderson], Gini [Georginio Wijnaldum], James [Milner] or Robbo [Andy Robertson]. None of them are smaller than [Javier] Mascherano who played pretty well in that position.”
But either Phillips or Williams look set to get the nod while Klopp hopes to have Matip fit, possibly for the midweek Champions League group game with Atalanta on Tuesday, but more likely for the key clash with Manchester City next weekend.
Thiago Alcantara is expected back today but Klopp confirmed Fabinho will miss at least three games with the hamstring injury he picked up against Midtjylland on Tuesday. “It’s a minor thing, not something that will keep him out for ages. After the international break he will be back for sure, we just don’t know exactly when.”
Van Dijk meanwhile had “successful” surgery in London yesterday to repair the knee ligament damage he suffered in the Merseyside derby and is likely to keep him out for the rest of the season, although Liverpool are refusing to put a timescale on his absence.
“This time [after surgery] is always unpleasant,” said Klopp. “He is as good as he can be. The surgery was successful which is very good, the best news we could get.”
Follow i sport on Facebook for more Liverpool news, interviews and features
More on Liverpool
- The conversation that convinced Werner to reject Liverpool and sign for Chelsea
- Meet the £11.75m star signed by Liverpool to act as Robertson’s understudy
- ‘The Kop went wild!’: Remembering when Liverpool last won the title
- Barnes exclusive: ‘Could I have played in this Liverpool team? Great players fit into any era’
- How Liverpool’s homegrown champion normalised his own brilliance
from Football – inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/34ILcyw
Post a Comment