The talent of Liverpool youngster Rhys Williams is evident to everyone who has watched him.

It appears the 19-year-old is now emerging as a central defensive option for manager Jurgen Klopp.

The club's injury crisis in that position means Williams may get meaningful first team minutes.

He was at Kidderminster Harriers on loan last season. There he was overseen by Russell Penn, who is now the club's manager.

"We definitely knew he had something in football terms straight away because of his ability on the ball, his composure at his age," Penn told Sky Sports News.

"The way he moved was graceful really and we just knew with his height and his stature that he is going to have a half decent career. The first month I think he'd hold his hands up, he struggled, he got caught, he got bullied a little, pushed off the ball."

Penn added: "What I do know is he was highly thought of. He was the next best thing because Liverpool kept telling us.

"He was training with the first team during the end of the season and he has been in the mix since the start of pre-season.

"I am expecting big things moving forward. He just needs to keep a level head and keep plugging away."