Alan Shearer raves about Liverpool talent Nathaniel Phillips

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Alan Shearer named Liverpool defender Nathaniel Phillips in his Premier League Team of the Week for his display in Saturday’s win over West Ham.

The youngster was handed his first Premier League outing and earned the Man of the Match award for an accomplished performance.

Phillips, 23, looked extremely comfortable at the heart of the back four and there looks to be more to come from the Bolton-born youngster.

Shearer was certainly impressed and named the defender is his Team of the Week on the Premier League website.

He said: “Thrown in at the deep end due to Liverpool’s defensive crisis, he had a great debut. Phillips did everything he had to do well on a day he will never forget.”

Injuries to Virgil van Dijk and Fabinho have seen Jurgen Klopp turn to youth in defence.

Phillips and fellow youngster Rhys Williams haven’t let the manager down though, proving a credit to the club.

The Dutchman’s injury led to many pundits claim Liverpool’s title hopes were now in danger – although that might be over the top.

Klopp’s team have rallied in the absence of their star man and last night they thrashed Atalanta 5-0 in the Champions League.

Phillips very nearly left Anfield in the summer, with Liverpool willing to offload him either on loan or permanently.

Both Swansea and Nottingham Forest were reportedly interested but how the youngster’s fortunes have changed.

He must have been resigned to the fact that he wouldn’t play much this season.

Now, he could become a mainstay in the Liverpool team if he continues to show the quality which he did on his debut.

Maybe there are positives to come out of Van Dijk’s injury after all.