What a night it was for Liverpool and Nat Phillips on Wednesday.
Jurgen Klopp’s side thumped Burnley 3-0 at Turf Moor to move fourth in the Premier League table for the first time in three months.
But more importantly, there’s only one game left and victory over Crystal Palace at Anfield on Sunday will guarantee Liverpool’s Champions League qualification place, which looked unlikely only a couple of weeks ago.
And it was a towering header from the Reds’ centre-back which helped secure the points.
Phillips, a Liverpool academy graduate, showcased his aerial ability by powering home a Sadio Mane cross on 52 minutes to double the visitors’ lead, after Roberto Firmino’s first-half opener.
This was also the big man’s first goal for the club and one that definitely played a role in the win, considering how easily Klopp’s troops have surrendered one-goal leads already this season.
But Steve McManaman has told Premier League Productions that there’s a chance he might not even be at the club next season.
He said: “For Nat Phillips to do that, it was absolutely fantastic. There’s nothing like scoring your first goal for Liverpool. He had a wonderful game. Next year when Van Dijk’s back and Gomez’s back, there’s a good chance he’ll never play for Liverpool again. I hope he does. I love him to bits as a lad and as a footballer.”
Is McManaman right? Well it’s difficult to know.
Liverpool will be getting three excellent central defenders back from injury next term – Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip and Joe Gomez – and with there being speculation that the Anfield side will add another two more to the squad, that plunges Phillips way down the pecking order.
His aerial talent is truly outstanding, however, and that, combined with his goal last night, might just stand him in good stead over earning a new deal.
But he has a taste for Premier League football now and the reality is, he won’t get it next season if everybody is fit.
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