Cult hero will RETURN to Liverpool after four years

A cult hero could make an appearance for Liverpool after four years away.

Things were not always this rosy on the pitch for the Reds. In fact, a few years ago, we weren't even thinking about the Premier League title but rather having open conversations about what it might be like to play in the Europa Conference League.

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It was a dire time. There was no Virgil van Dijk, no Joe Gomez nor Joel Matip - all ruled out due to injury. Ibrahima Konate had not arrived on the scene yet.

So, initially the roles of centre-backs fell to Jordan Henderson and Fabinho.

But this was not a sustainable tactic for Jurgen Klopp. He needed to find a solution. Who did he turn to?

Nathaniel Phillips and Rhys Williams. An iconic hero who will forever have cult hero status at the club.

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During the 2020/21 season, Williams and Phillips both stepped-up for Liverpool and played a key role in helping the club qualify for the Champions League.

Even after Ozan Kabak and Ben Davies had been brought in as emergency signings during the January transfer window, it was Williams and Philips who kept their place.

In the end, they played a major role in salvaging the season for Klopp and probably his tenure as well. Had the campaign ended in failure and without European football, who knows what might have happened.

Phillips moved on from Liverpool this summer, but Williams is still at the club.

He has a contract until 2026, and during the summer window he spent preparations with the club's U21 team in order to rehabilitate after picking up an injury playing for Morecambe in League Two last season.

He made a rare appearance for Liverpool's U21 side in the EFL Trophy against Burton earlier this month, wearing the captain's armband.

Now 24-years-old, it seems like Williams might actually be in line to make an appearance for the club for the first time in four years with his last appearance coming in May 2021.

As per Redmen TV, Williams missed Liverpool U21's game against Manchester United because he had been called-up to the first team to train with Arne Slot's men for the first time.

Konate and Van Dijk will not be involved against Southampton on Tuesday as Liverpool begin their League Cup campaign. That makes only Giovanni Leoni and Joe Gomez available as centre-backs for the game.

The latter is unlikely to play the fully 90 minutes, which means there is a strong likelihood we could see Williams make a return to the first team again.

He'll be in the squad, that's for sure. It will be a massive moment for the club's former cult hero, and a great opportunity to put his name in the spotlight again.

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