Klopp On Nat Phillips Debut “I Would’ve Been Nervous!”

The Liverpool boss was full of praise for his young center back
following a narrow win.

Another day, another hard-fought Liverpool victory. The Reds battled back from behind
for the second time in three games, taking all available points to
beat West Ham 2-1. New signing, Diogo Jota was the man for the
moment once again, scoring for the fourth time in five games, with
today’s decisive strike his second winner since joining from
Wolves.

However, the story coming into the match was a surprise first
Premier League appearance and start for young Nat Phillips, pressed
into the XI as result of the Reds’ center half injury crisis. The
youngster acquitted himself well, shackling the physically imposing
Sébastien Haller in a solid performance in which he rarely put a
foot wrong.

Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp was full of praise for the
academy product following the win:

“Wow! I couldn’t be more happy,” the German said speaking to Sky
Sports. “I asked him before the game if he was nervous and he said
no, I said ‘I would be!’”

“He’s a brilliant guy, smart guy, intelligent, everything. He’s
not easy on the eye, he’s not Messi but who cares? In the air, he’s
a monster! He was incredible.”

Super subs Xherdan Shaqiri and Jota combined in sublime
fashion to put the game to bed five minutes from normal time, and
the 51-year-old reserved special praise for the winning goal,
including the hard yard put into the build up.

“I loved the second goal,” Klopp beamed. “Shaq is in incredible
form and Diogo obviously.

“Also how Sadio fought to win the ball and Gini pressed and
passed it forward—it is things we had to do for 95 minutes against
a deep defending side.”

A hectic, pandemic-compressed schedule has pushed a depleted
Reds squad, and the boss made a point of commending his side’s grit
and determination to pull out a difficult win.

“Football is always about finding a way and tonight the boys did
that,” the German continued.

“It’s not about shining, or flying, or whatever, it’s about hard
work. That was absolutely necessary against this opponent.”

“The number of games we have, and then seeing the determination
and the desire of the boys, the will to deal with setbacks is
really exceptional.”

The win takes Liverpool to the top of the table for the first
time this season pending the result of Everton–Newcastle on Sunday.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed has
condemned the recent attack on some media houses.

Mohammed who spoke in Lagos on Saturday when he paid a visit to
the media organisations that were attacked in the aftermath of the
EndSARS protest and the Lekki shooting, said any attack on media
houses was an affront on democracy in the country.

“Whoever attacks free press is also attacking democracy because
there can no democracy without a robust and vibrant free press,” he
said.

“That is why this attack must be condemned without any
reservation. Closely those who came here came with a purpose. It
was to shut down the voice of reasoning.

He also reiterated the commitment of the Federal Government to
regulating the social media, stressing that the move was to protect
the rights of other Nigerians.

The minister noted that he wasn’t going back on his earlier
assertion that the government would control the media.

“A few people will say look at the minister who just few days
ago was speaking about regulating the social media. What kind of
double speech? He is coming here again to talk about protecting the
media.

“Of course, I don’t see any contradictions in those positions.
Yes, we would protect the free press; we would protect democracy
and the rights of other Nigerians to express themselves. At the
same time, we must protect the rights of others,” he added.

The minister’s remarks come 10 days after the headquarters of
Television Continental (TVC) among other media houses were attacked
by a mob in Lagos.