Rhys Williams has already been through his fair share of ups and downs in his fledgling Liverpool career.
Drafted into Jurgen Klopp’s lineup in the midst of last season’s debilitating defensive injury crisis, the 21-year-old went from non-league to Premier League in just a matter of months. Williams, along with fellow academy graduate Nat Phillips, formed an unlikely centre-back partnership which helped Liverpool win their final five league games to secure what appeared a highly improbable top-four finish.
But with the return to fitness of Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip and Joe Gomez and the summer arrival of Ibrahima Konate, Williams understandably fell back down the Anfield pecking order. There was then a loan move to Championship Swansea City, which in his own words was affected by the sickening racist abuse he suffered during an away match with Luton Town. The versatile defender then returned to the confines of Liverpool and training back with the senior players.
And speaking to Goal about his time learning his trade from Klopp’s assembled stars, it was not Mohamed Salah which gave him the most fits in training, instead pointing to one of his attacking colleagues Roberto Firmino.
He explained: “It’s amazing.Every single player in that squad trains as they play, so the quality and the tempo of the sessions is ridiculous. "It’s 100 miles an hour, you don’t get a second on the ball. You have to know what you’re doing, two passes before you receive it.
“Playing against him [Firmino] is an absolute nightmare!” he added. “You either have to leave him to drop off and then he turns and makes you look stupid, or you go out with him and then someone is in behind you getting a ball over the top off Robbo (Andy Robertson) or Trent (Alexander-Arnold).
“But then if you get there a split-second too late, he’s going to turn you. You have to arrive as he is taking a touch and try to knock him, make him take a bad touch or knock it back into midfield where someone can nick it. That’s the only way to defend him.”
Williams admitted that another loan move next season is likely as he continues to build his experience ahead of potentially finding a route to the Liverpool senior team.
“I just want to play as many games as I can,” he continued. “I know that it’s far too soon for me to be thinking about getting ahead of these great defenders that we have, so the plan is to get a loan that works for me, to find a manager that will back me and trust me.
“The experiences of the last 18 months will help me. Swansea was disappointing but it’s gone now, and it doesn’t have to define me. I know what I can do and what I’m capable of. I I just need a chance to show it now.”
