‘I’m always amazed’: Matip says Liverpool star stuns him every day, hails teenager too

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Joel Matip admits that Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker amazes him on a daily basis while paying tribute to the rapid rise of teenage centre-back Rhys Williams, speaking to the Liverpool website.

The Premier League champions might have an injury list longer than the Magna Carta at present but even the absence of many a star player has failed to derail their trophy charge.

A Liverpool side shorn of Mo Salah, Jordan Henderson, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk and co battered high-flying Leicester City 3-0 at Anfield three days ago.

And it would be little surprise if they repeated the trick against an Atalanta side who suffered a humiliating 5-0 defeat in their own Bergamo back yard before the international break.

Van Dijk, Alexander-Arnold and Joe Gomez may have left Jurgen Klopp’s defence looking a little vulnerable on paper but 19-year-old Rhys Williams has stepped up to the plate impressively of late.

According to Alexander-Arnold, a teenager who was playing for Kidderminster Harriers on loan last season has been nothing short of ‘world class’ since being promoted from the U23 set-up.

“(Williams) did really great,” Matip adds, while also paying tribute to fellow youngster Nat Phillips. “He did everything what was asked of him and it was a great performance (against Atalanta). He had a great impact.

“(Williams and Phillips) have both done really great. To come in is quite hard at this age and you have to be responsible for a lot of the defensive part. But they both did it great and it’s good to know for every Liverpool supporter that they are young players who have come in and have a lot of quality.”

Liverpool might have produced their finest attacking performance of the season during that 5-0 thumping of Atalanta but Alisson played his part too, making a number of excellent saves en route to a hard-earned clean sheet.

“As a person first, he is amazing,” Matip says of the Brazil number one.

“He is kind and everybody knows he is the complete goalkeeper. I am always amazed by what he does with the ball and against the ball. Sometimes I can see it from close up but it’s still amazing.”