“Interesting One…” – Sky Sports EFL Editor On Two Liverpool Heroes Of 2020/21 | OneFootball

Nat Phillips and Rhys Williams are two players that have had very different career paths but find themselves in a similar position. They have spent the best part of their Liverpool careers out on loan.

At Redmen TV we wanted to see both how they were getting on at their current loan clubs and their future prospects back at Liverpool.

This week Dan Clubbe has talked to Sky Sports EFL editor Simion Gholam who has given us the latest on the duo’s performances this season for their respective clubs.

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The Nat Phillips dynamic is a “rather interesting one” said Simeon given that Phillips has only had one full season at Liverpool. Phillips has struggled to settle in the last few years having been loaned out to five clubs in the five years since he joined Liverpool.

There is no denying Phillips’ abilities, a player renowned for highly accurate passing, a sophisticated positional awareness and a fearless attitude. Although these are attributes that appeal to Arne Slot, there are many centre-backs in the first-team squad who have displayed them on a more regular basis.

The experience of players like Konate, Gomez and Van Dijk has reflected the abundance of success the club has had in recent years, meaning the likes of Phillips will find it difficult to pivot his way into the first-team squad.

Simeon made the point that Phillips “is not a young player anymore”. He added: “It is hard to say he is getting experience (by going on loan)”. It is hard to see a way back for Phillips to the first-team squad, but a successful season at Derby could make Slot consider his options, or perhaps earn him a permanent move elsewhere.

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The latter could be a chance to renew some stability in his career.

23-year-old defender Rhys Williams will also have to wait and see whether his future remains in Liverpool after the end of his loan spell with Morecambe.

Though it is early days, thus far the loan spell looks to be going smoothly considering his playing time has been hampered by injuries throughout his career.

Williams’ breakthrough season at Liverpool lives long in the memory, forming that temporary but memorable centre-back partnership with Nat during the 2020-2021 season injury crisis.

Rhys still possesses the physicality, speed, and combative playing style that he displayed during that season, however, his chances of breaking back into the team might be restricted by competition.

Simeon pointed to the fact that Rhys is “23 and had injury problems” and as a result, he has “Not had enough football for his age” and is in need of constant game time.

At a club the size of Liverpool’s stature, so much talent is pushing to become a mainstay in the first team therefore Rhys will have to make sure to do everything he can to stand out.

Importantly Simeon believes that Rhys is “enjoying his football” and that is a critical part of his upcoming development, motivating him to impress Slot for the remainder of his loan spell.

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Who can forget that iconic picture, bandaged, cut and bruised, Phillips and Williams, the unlikely heroes for The Reds back in 2020/21, what a time to be alive.

Whilst it appears the opportunity to forge genuine first-team careers at Anfield may have come and gone for both, through no fault of their own in many ways, these loan opportunities are a chance to get back to playing regular football and hopefully get a successful permanent move off the back of.

By Conor McLarnon