Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp sang defender Nathaniel Phillips, who made his English league debut, after a 2: 1 victory over West Ham on Saturday. According to the coach of the reigning masters, the 23-year-old stopper in the air acted as a monster and “Reds” helped significantly.
Klopp lacked the support of Virgil van Dijk, Joël Matip and Fabinho due to injuries, so in the middle of the defense, inexperienced Phillips got a chance next to Joe Gomez. A member of the Liverpool reserve for the A-team has so far only played a cup duel with Everton last season.
However, Phillips managed to defend the West Ham player at the Anfield stadium on Saturday, which was also represented by the Czech representatives Tomáš Souček and Vladimír Coufal. “He’s a great guy, smart and intelligent. Together we laughed that my game wasn’t as pleasing to the eye as his. Not one of us is Lionel Messi, but who cares,” Klopp said in an interview with the BBC.
“He’s like a monster in the air and he likes to fight on the field. He was amazing in his first game in the Premier League. Everyone can imagine how nervous he must have been after such a long wait,” added the German strategist.
At the same time, Phillips no longer even had to work in Liverpool. “It’s a crazy story. He was on his way to America for college three years ago. Then he joined our reserve team. We discovered him, trained with us and impressed us,” Klopp remembered.
“12 clubs from the second English league wanted him in the summer. It was clear that he would leave and I didn’t have a problem with that at the time. But fortunately it didn’t work out for us. Against West Ham he was exactly where he was supposed to be. good performance,” added Liverpool’s 53-year-old manager, whose charges lead an incomplete table after seven rounds.
–
