The 2020-21 season so far has certainly been one to savour for Liverpool FC starlet Rhys Williams as the 19-year-old central defender has moved up the pecking order massively at Anfield following injury troubles for his senior teammates.
Potential season-ending layoffs for both Joe Gomez and Virgil van Dijk has meant that Jurgen Klopp has been forced to turn to his inexperienced youth options, of which Williams has been a notable presence making his mark at the big stage.
He earned rave plaudits for his superior showing in defence during the Reds’ 2-1 victory over title-challengers Tottenham Hotspurs nearly a fortnight ago at Anfield, with the teenage defender keeping Spurs dangerman Harry Kane at bay throughout the game.
In a recent interview to the club’s official website, Williams opened up on his experience of playing besides Liverpool FC’s defensive colossus Virgil van Dijk prior to the latter being ruled out for the remainder of the season owing to an ACL injury as the 19-year-old voiced admiration for the Dutch international’s style of play and his commanding ability from the back.
“He’s a player I’ve been watching and admiring from where I’ve been playing since he has come to the club. I can see why people call him the best defender in the world, because he makes everything seem so easy and he helps everyone else around him with his voice and his instructions. It was a privilege to play alongside him and hopefully I can keep doing that in the future.
“The way he steps in to intercept balls, his timing is perfect for it. If he has got a runner he knows when he needs to drop off with them, or if there’s no pressure on the ball he drops. And he controls the rest of the line as well, which I really like, because everyone takes their line from him. That’s something I want to add to my game as well.”
With the FA Cup set to begin from the initial week of January, Williams would be in fray to grab a starting spot in what is expected to be a much-tinkered starting eleven for Jurgen Klopp’s side as the Reds gaffer plans to rotate his first-teamers in regular basis keeping in mind the intense scheduling.
