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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Samuel Meade

Jurgen Klopp's Whatsapp message that left Rhys Williams "scared" as he called meeting

Rhys Williams admits he was "scared" when he received a message from Jurgen Klopp asking to see him.

The young defender has been thrust into the Liverpool first team as they battle a hefty injury list.

Williams has played 13 times with Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip all sidelined.

The 20-year-old only made his professional debut last year but is now an option in defence.

He revealed that Klopp summoned him with a Whatsapp message that left him "scared" - but it was only to offer some pointers.

He told UMM : “I'd probably say the captain or maybe Virg [are the most active in the WhatsApp group chat].

Rhys Williams was "scared" when the Liverpool boss messaged him (PA)

“Obviously [Van Dijk] has not been playing with his injury, so before every game he is wishing all the boys good luck and stuff like that.

“And the skipper [Jordan Henderson] is the one who is always replying first.

“There was one [message] recently [from Klopp] - 'can you come and see me please.' I was scared!

“But it was just to discuss some stuff that I could do better in games, so it was nothing to be worried about. But I was nervous.”

Williams has played domestically and in Europe for the Reds.

But the circumstances that led to his Premier League debut certainly were not ideal.

Jurgen Klopp was keen to help the young defender improve (Getty Images)

The centre-half was poised to be on the bench for the visit of Tottenham in December, but a late Matip injury meant he was thrown in.

“I was nervous because I wasn't starting at first, I was on the bench. And then Joel Matip was meant to play," he said.

“He had a problem with his back, so the boss and the first-team coach come to me and said 'be ready because you are starting, Joel has failed his fitness test.'

“So that was say five or six hours before training and I had to get my head together because that was my first game in the Premier League with [Harry] Kane and [Heung-min] Son up top.

“I was nervous but the boys helped me through it.”

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