# Nat Phillips
**Nat Phillips** (Nathaniel Harry Phillips, born 1997) is an English professional footballer who plays as a center-back for West Bromwich Albion, best known for a nine-year stay at Liverpool during which he became an injury-crisis regular and helped the club qualify for the Champions League in 2021.[1](https://www.lfchistory.net/players/1362) • [2](https://www.wba.co.uk/news/albion-sign-defender-nat-phillips-liverpool)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1997, Bolton, England[1](https://www.lfchistory.net/players/1362) |
| Position | Centre-back[2](https://www.wba.co.uk/news/albion-sign-defender-nat-phillips-liverpool) |
| Liverpool career | 2016–2025; 29 senior appearances, 1 goal, 1 assist[1](https://www.lfchistory.net/players/1362) |
| Breakthrough | 20 appearances in 2020-21 as injury-hit Liverpool finished third and qualified for the Champions League[3](https://www.liverpoolfc.com/info/nathaniel-phillips) |
| Only Liverpool goal | Header in a 3-0 win at Burnley, 19 May 2021[4](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/may/19/burnley-liverpool-premier-league-match-report) |
| Loans | Stuttgart (2019-20), Bournemouth (2022), Celtic (2023), Cardiff City (2024), Derby County (2024-25)[1](https://www.lfchistory.net/players/1362) |
| Current club | West Bromwich Albion, signed 23 June 2025 on a three-year contract[2](https://www.wba.co.uk/news/albion-sign-defender-nat-phillips-liverpool) |
## Early career
Phillips came through the Bolton Wanderers academy, where his father, Jimmy Phillips, a former Bolton player, was director.[1](https://www.lfchistory.net/players/1362) • [5](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54764456) With his Bolton prospects stalling, he secured a four-year scholarship at the [University of North Carolina at Charlotte](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-north-carolina-at-charlotte) and planned to pursue a degree and an MLS career through the college draft. Three days into a trial at [Huddersfield](https://www.edgepedia.org/huddersfield), Liverpool called to invite him to train with the club in Germany during pre-season, and he signed for the Reds' academy on the day he was meant to fly to the United States.[6](https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/first-team/432369-the-inside-story-how-nat-phillips-nearly-became-us-student-instead-of-red)
Three seasons of reserve-team football followed before Liverpool sent him on loan to [VfB Stuttgart](https://www.edgepedia.org/vfb-stuttgart), then in the 2. Bundesliga, in August 2019, the same day he signed a new long-term contract.[7](https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/first-team/359597-nathaniel-phillips-liverpool-new-contract-stuttgart-loan) When Liverpool lost center-backs to injury in December 2019, the club recalled him during the German winter break, and he played the full 90 minutes of his senior debut, a 1-0 [FA Cup](https://www.edgepedia.org/fa-cup) third-round win over Everton on 5 January 2020, before returning to [Stuttgart](https://www.edgepedia.org/stuttgart).[1](https://www.lfchistory.net/players/1362) • [8](https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/first-team/380332-jurgen-klopp-nat-phillips-liverpool-return) He made 19 league appearances for Stuttgart that season, keeping six clean sheets, and helped the club win promotion to the Bundesliga after the COVID-19 pause.[5](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54764456) • [9](https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/first-team/406225-nat-phillips-interview-stuttgart-loan-unpredictability-and-future-plans)
## The 2020-21 breakthrough
Phillips was expected to leave Liverpool in the summer of 2020, and a proposed permanent move to Swansea City collapsed on the eve of deadline day.[10](https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/nat-phillips-liverpool-top-four-table-b1850565.html) He was so far out of the picture that he was omitted from the club's Champions League group-stage squad, decided before [Virgil van Dijk](https://www.edgepedia.org/virgil-van-dijk) and Joe Gomez sustained long-term injuries.[11](https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/first-team/419594-nat-phillips-interview-extra-training-klopp-chats-and-squad-support) With van Dijk, Gomez, Joel Matip and Fabinho all absent at various points, his Premier League debut arrived against West Ham on 31 October 2020; he made nine clearances and two interceptions, more than any other Liverpool player, and [Jamie Carragher](https://www.edgepedia.org/jamie-carragher) named him man of the match.[5](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54764456)
He became a regular as Liverpool's season revived. The team put together a nine-match unbeaten league run with four consecutive wins, rising from outside the top four into the final Champions League place on goal difference with one round remaining.[10](https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/nat-phillips-liverpool-top-four-table-b1850565.html) A run of eight wins and two draws from the final ten fixtures secured third place, confirmed by a 2-0 win over Crystal Palace on the last day.[12](https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/first-team/435301-nathaniel-phillips-interview-crystal-palace) Phillips played 20 times that season in all competitions, was voted the supporters' Player of the Month in March, and scored his only Liverpool goal, a header from [Sadio Mané](https://www.edgepedia.org/sadio-mane)'s cross, in the 3-0 win at Burnley on 19 May 2021.[3](https://www.liverpoolfc.com/info/nathaniel-phillips) • [4](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/may/19/burnley-liverpool-premier-league-match-report) In that match he also made nine clearances, three tackles and two blocks, contested 19 duels, 13 of them aerial, with a 68 percent success rate, and headed a [James Tarkowski](https://www.edgepedia.org/james-tarkowski) effort off the line.[10](https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/nat-phillips-liverpool-top-four-table-b1850565.html) • [4](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/may/19/burnley-liverpool-premier-league-match-report)
## Playing style
Phillips is a conventional, physical defender in a Liverpool system that usually asks its center-backs to be quick enough for a high defensive line. Aerial strength is his defining attribute: after his debut, [Jürgen Klopp](https://www.edgepedia.org/jurgen-klopp) said, "In the air he is a monster, loves having challenges on the pitch."[5](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54764456) Statistical comparisons with his Liverpool teammates show the trade-offs. His ground duel success rate of 49.2 percent fell slightly short of Joe Gomez's 52 percent and well short of [Dejan Lovren](https://www.edgepedia.org/dejan-lovren)'s 70 percent, and he was dribbled past 0.8 times per game on average, against 0.4 for Gomez and 0.1 for Matip.[13](https://anfieldindex.com/49248/should-nat-phillips-be-a-long-term-option-for-liverpool.html) Analysts also noted that in a Klopp side, where forwards and midfielders defend intensely from the front, a center-back is typically less active, which made Phillips' high volume of clearances and duels stand out while he lagged behind in ground duels, ball recoveries and fouls committed.[14](https://www.thisisanfield.com/2023/02/why-nat-phillips-still-misses-out-despite-liverpool-centre-back-struggles/)
## Later Liverpool career and loans
Phillips signed a new contract before 2021-22 but made only three Liverpool appearances that season, his only start coming at [AC Milan](https://www.edgepedia.org/ac-milan) in the Champions League once the group had been won. In January 2022 he joined [AFC Bournemouth](https://www.edgepedia.org/afc-bournemouth) on loan and played in 17 of the 18 games for which he was eligible as [Bournemouth](https://www.edgepedia.org/bournemouth) won promotion to the Premier League.[1](https://www.lfchistory.net/players/1362)
A pattern of short spells followed. A loan to Scottish champions Celtic in the first half of 2023-24 produced disappointing form and eight appearances before he returned to Liverpool in January; a subsequent loan to Cardiff City went better, with 17 starts in the remaining 18 games. In 2024-25 he spent the season on loan at Derby County, making 32 league appearances as Derby narrowly avoided relegation, and scored the winning goal in a 1-0 victory at relegation rivals Hull City in the penultimate game.[1](https://www.lfchistory.net/players/1362)
## West Bromwich Albion
Liverpool sold Phillips to Championship club West Bromwich Albion on 23 June 2025 for an undisclosed fee, ending his nine-year association with the club. He signed a three-year contract and became West Brom's first signing of that summer, with the club citing his experience in the English second tier, including the Bournemouth promotion campaign.[2](https://www.wba.co.uk/news/albion-sign-defender-nat-phillips-liverpool) In his first season at [The Hawthorns](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-hawthorns) he was a regular in defense, making 40 Championship appearances and captaining the side on two occasions.[1](https://www.lfchistory.net/players/1362)
## References
1. [Nathaniel Phillips – LFChistory.net](https://www.lfchistory.net/players/1362)
2. [Albion sign defender Nat Phillips from Liverpool – West Bromwich Albion FC](https://www.wba.co.uk/news/albion-sign-defender-nat-phillips-liverpool)
3. [Nathaniel Phillips – Liverpool FC past players](https://www.liverpoolfc.com/info/nathaniel-phillips)
4. [Nat Phillips flourishes at both ends in Liverpool's win at Burnley – The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/may/19/burnley-liverpool-premier-league-match-report)
5. [Nathaniel Phillips: Liverpool defender swims after being thrown in Premier League deep end – BBC Sport](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54764456)
6. [The inside story: How Nat Phillips nearly became US student instead of Red – Liverpool FC](https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/first-team/432369-the-inside-story-how-nat-phillips-nearly-became-us-student-instead-of-red)
7. [Nathaniel Phillips signs new Liverpool contract and joins Stuttgart on loan – Liverpool FC](https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/first-team/359597-nathaniel-phillips-liverpool-new-contract-stuttgart-loan)
8. [Jürgen Klopp explains Nat Phillips' return to Liverpool – Liverpool FC](https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/first-team/380332-jurgen-klopp-nat-phillips-liverpool-return)
9. [Nat Phillips interview | Stuttgart loan, unpredictability and future plans – Liverpool FC](https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/first-team/406225-nat-phillips-interview-stuttgart-loan-unpredictability-and-future-plans)
10. [Nat Phillips becomes unlikely poster boy of Liverpool's top-four resurgence – The Independent](https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/nat-phillips-liverpool-top-four-table-b1850565.html)
11. [Nat Phillips interview | Extra training, Klopp chats and squad support – Liverpool FC](https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/first-team/419594-nat-phillips-interview-extra-training-klopp-chats-and-squad-support)
12. [Nat Phillips: I'm really proud of what we've achieved together – Liverpool FC](https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/first-team/435301-nathaniel-phillips-interview-crystal-palace)
13. [Should Nat Phillips be a long-term option for Liverpool? – Anfield Index](https://anfieldindex.com/49248/should-nat-phillips-be-a-long-term-option-for-liverpool.html)
14. [Why Nat Phillips still misses out despite Liverpool centre-back struggles – This Is Anfield](https://www.thisisanfield.com/2023/02/why-nat-phillips-still-misses-out-despite-liverpool-centre-back-struggles/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Association football › Football people and teams › People › Men's footballers of the British Isles (modern era) › English footballers 2015–present › Defenders › Center-backs*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license