London –
Jordan Henderson and Nathaniel Phillips were installed as Liverpool center-back duo. This is the Reds’ 12th combination in the position. Wow!
Henderson has been in the last three games as a center back with different partners. From Rhys Williams, then Joel Matip, and now Phillips against West Ham United at the London Olympic Stadium, Sunday (31/1/2021).
Hendo was forced to become a center-back due to a player crisis in that position after Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez suffered long injuries. Not to mention, Matip also likes to go back and forth to the treatment room.
Fortunately the duet of Hendo and Phillips was able to play well when they beat the West Ham and Liverpool attackers to win 3-1. Phillips even won the most duels in the first half (6x), then won the aerial duels (4x), and cleared the ball four times.
Meanwhile, Henderson was able to release several long passes from the back line that reached Trent Alexander-Arnold directly on the wing or to Mohamed Salah up front.
Even since he became a center back, Henderson has never been overtaken by the opponent’s dribble.
“By the way, Nat Phillips played well and Milly told Hendo that he had to be careful because if he continues to play well like this, he will forever be a center-back,” Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp was quoted as saying. Sky Sports.
For Klopp, the hurricane of injuries at the back has made him dizzy. Because throughout the 2020/2021 Premier League, Klopp has tried 12 different center-back pairs with Henderson-Phillips being the last.
Liverpool center-back combination this season Photo: Getty Images / Pool |
The main duo, Van Dijk and Gomez, have only played together three times this season. Most of them are Fabinho-Joel Matip duo through six matches, then there are Fabinho-Henderson and Fabinho-Phillips (two games).
Meanwhile, Fabinho-Gomez, Fabinho-Van Dijk, Fabinho-Williams, Gomez-Matip, Gomez-Phillips, Henderson-Matip, and Matip-Van Dijk have only played together once! Of the 12 combinations, Fabinho has felt the change of partners six times.
So it’s natural that Liverpool are so insistent on bringing in two center-backs at the end of the January transfer market. One of them is Preston North End defender Ben Davies.
(mrp/ran)
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