Nathaniel Phillips has been speaking to Sky Sports about his whirlwind time at Liverpool this season, as he earned his big break in strange style.
The 23-year-old has managed to rack up eight appearances in all competitions after injuries to Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip.
That might not sound like a lot, but it is when you consider that a loan move to the Championship failed to materialise over the summer, as he told Sky Sports.
Interestingly, Phillips also revealed what Van Dijk tells him in the dressing room before games this season in terms of advice.
The £64,615-a-week centre-back told Sky Sports: “Virg has been a big help when he’s been in and around the dressing room on game days.
“He will give advice for certain situations that are happening in the game and how we might be able to alter things to improve those situations in our favour.”
It’s lovely to see the £75 million man passing his knowledge onto Phillips to give him the best possible chance of succeeding in a Liverpool shirt.
It just goes to show that the former Southampton man can still be a hugely influential figure without needing to be out on the pitch.
Whatever Van Dijk has told Phillips seems to be working.
Liverpool have lost just two of the eight games Phillips has appeared in this season, and at no point has he let Jurgen Klopp down.
He’s grabbed his chance and earned the trust of his teammates.
Even if he is pushed out of Anfield when everyone is fit again, he’s done more than enough to earn himself a decent move elsewhere.
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