Another admirable performance from the youngster.
Having previously played in the Champions
League and League Cup, Rhys Williams was finally tabbed to
fill-in for Joel Matip this time in the Premier League, and he
delivered. Save for a shaky opening part of the second half,
Williams was fantastic, winning more aerial duels than any other
player (six), and playing a part in Mohamed Salah‘s opening
goal.
Manager Jürgen Klopp was ecstatic in his praise for young Rhys
after the game:
Oh my god! Outstanding, outstanding. Come on, Rhys Williams you
can imagine, it’s like the modern-day Alan Shearer he played
against, Harry Kane. He is so smart, dropping in the right moments.
Second half they only played long balls and actually avoided
Rhys.They played them in the direction of Fabinho and put Harry there
– so we had to really fight for these second balls – because Rhys
is so strong in the air.But with the ball as well, he played a pass before our first
goal.He has the right amount of confidence. For a 19-year-old boy you
don’t have to explain to other people how it works, but you have to
be confident.Apart from that, he just kept it simple. Super challenges, but
[also] interceptions in the centre when they tried to create
counter-attacks, he didn’t drop too early so he won these
balls.Absolutely incredible game, I have to say.
Captain Jordan Henderson joined in on the love-in in his
post-match interview, singling out Williams for his aerial
dominance and communication:
I told you before the game he’d been outstanding, and I hoped
for the same tonight, and he was outstanding again.I thought he was one of the best players on the park, won the
majority of things in the air, defended, I could hear him talking
all the time for such a young lad.So delighted for him, but not just him. I thought Fabinho next
to him, the whole back four and the whole team, to be honest.
After a few understandably nervous outings when he was thrown
into the rotation, Rhys has now gone from strength-to-strength, is
easily one of the best feel-good stories of the season. Keep going,
lad!