Former Liverpool goalkeeper David James has compared young defender Nat Phillips to Arsenal legend Tony Adams.
Phillips has experienced some struggles this season, as injuries to Virgil Van Dijk and Joe Gomez have thrown him in the deep end.
But as the Reds form has improved, Phillips has also looked more assured at the back.
Asked if Phillips should be Van Dijk's partner when the latter is fully fit, James told Stadium Astro: "Yes. Straight away.
"Once he was established in the squad fully and he was sort of dropped out for preference to other defenders, I think Jordan Henderson at times if I remember rightly, I was sort of thinking: 'Hang on a minute, this guy is not the most pretty on the eye, he's not going to be taking players on but he is a very strong defender'.
"If you've got someone like Van Dijk then you've got someone with the experience and the speed to back up - it's a bit like Tony Adams being a defender, who's not going to be blessed with the speed.
"But I think Nat Phillips and Van Dijk will make a wonderful partnership, and if needs be Gomez is high quality as well.
"Jurgen Klopp then has at his disposal, I think, top-quality defenders."