Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Jurgen Klopp has been speaking about his centre-back situation at Liverpool, reserving some praise for Nat Phillips.
Liverpool had so many issues at centre-half last term, with Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip all sidelined for long periods of time, but all of a sudden, they have an absolute abundance of quality defenders.
Klopp says that he has five exceptional centre-backs, stating that Phillips is brilliant in training despite the fact he doesn’t make the matchday squad most weeks.
What’s been said?
Klopp was speaking about his defenders.
“Joe didn’t get called up so this would have helped him have some games. I think he is an exceptional centre-half, but it’s very good for us at the moment because we have five exceptional centre-halves and Nat Phillips is not making the squad most of the time, because of the numbers we can only involve, but he trains exceptionally as well. Ibou and Joe do that also,” Klopp said.
Let him go
Klopp says Phillips is an exceptional defender, and he’s absolutely right.
Towards the back end of last season, the 24-year-old was a brick wall at the back and there’s a reason he finished third on the club’s Player of the Year voting.
Unfortunately though, with the Reds having so many centre-back options, it’s hard to see how Philips gets back into this team. He’s yet to play a single senior minute this term and that doesn’t look like changing any time soon.
Perhaps the fairest thing Liverpool can do with Phillips is to let him go and play his football elsewhere. Who knows, maybe the 24-year-old could even get an England call-up if he rediscovers the form he showed at times last term.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
