‘The lads look up to him’: Liverpool coach applauds senior player who worked with U21s this week

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Nat Phillips is having a great impact on the U21s, it seems. That’s according to Liverpool coach Barry Lewtas.

Liverpool Under 21s beat Fulham 3-1 over the weekend in their penultimate game before the World Cup break. There were reasons to celebrate that, then, with Layton Stewart returning with a goal after an ankle problem

U21s coach Barry Lewtas also singled out Nat Phillips for the effect he’s having at youth level. The defender dropped down to feature against Fulham and Liverpool are better for it.

“Nat is a great lad,” Lewtas told Liverpoolfc.com. “I’m not just saying this but every time a senior player has come down to play for us since I’ve took this job they have always done it properly.

“That’s credit to them but it’s also credit to the first-team environment. Nat is a real good guy who is good around the lads. The lads look up to him and he is a really good example to the younger players.”

Nat Phillips has positive impact on the U21s

Phillips is in a strange position with his career. He’s not getting close to the first-team, really, and relies on injuries just to find a place on the bench. That’s got to be difficult for any 25-year-old footballer.

At the same time, he’s at Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp is a big fan. That’s got to be great for any 25-year-old footballer.

But we can’t imagine Phillips is content with just U21 football and the occasional cup-tie. He’s far too good for that, for one thing, especially after helping Bournemouth get promoted last season. His future almost certainly lies away from Anfield – potentially come January.

For now, though, Liverpool are getting what they can out of Phillips. That includes using him as an example for the U21s – after all, he’s proof that you can quickly make the step-up and take chances at senior level. It’s just a shame for Phillips that his efforts two years ago haven’t led to a proper Anfield career.