Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp says he'll be leaning on Nat Phillips and Rhys Williams next season.

Phillips and Williams have emerged as key players in the battle for Champions League qualification with on-loan Ozan Kabak and fellow February signing Ben Davies having joined long-term central defensive absentees Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip in the treatment room.

"I've said before, it's not sure that the three centre-backs who are injured will start the pre-season with us," said the Reds boss.

"The boys (Phillips and Williams) will be here. We need the numbers of centre-halves, we need to work on all the different things and step by step we hopefully have the other guys back.

"The boys did incredibly well. Ozan came in and played a super part for us, but is now injured.

"Nat now for weeks already, Rhys at the start, mainly in the Champions League because Nat wasn't on the list for the competition and we had to figure out how we can make sure at least one of the two can play.

"Now they are playing together. They did really well at United, I loved what they did.

"This year they have created two proper careers. When you are at the Academy at whichever club, that's not written in stone, but now they have could show how good they are. Everything will be fine."