In a campaign in which the Reds were beset by a raft of injuries, particularly in the central defensive area, Jürgen Klopp’s side found themselves in eighth position in the standings as recently as early March, seven points behind fourth.
However, a run of eight wins and two draws from their final 10 fixtures saw Liverpool ascend the table – and the weekend’s 2-0 win over Crystal Palace at Anfield confirmed a return to the Champions League for 2021-22.
Phillips was integral to that sequence, starting every one of those games to tally a total of 17 appearances in a watershed season for the centre-back.