Jurgen Klopp has hailed Liverpool academy graduates Nat Phillips and Rhys Williams as 'proper players' after they passed their Premier League 'crash course' with flying colours.
The young duo were called upon earlier in the campaign following long-term injuries to Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez, which saw Klopp scramble to stop Liverpool's season from completely falling apart.
While the Reds' title defence eventually crumbled after the Christmas period, Phillips and Williams filled in and eventually helped turn the club's faltering season around in the last few weeks, securing a third-place finish and a spot in the Champions League next season.