---
title: "Mark Lawrenson urges Liverpool to play Nathaniel Phillips and Ozan Kabak against Leicester"
canonical: "https://readliverpoolfc.com/news/lawrenson-urges-liverpool-to-play-phillips-and-kabak-v-leicester/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Henry Jackson"
section: "Liverpool News"
published: "2021-02-12T10:00:00Z"
modified: "2021-02-12T10:00:00Z"
---

# Mark Lawrenson urges Liverpool to play Nathaniel Phillips and Ozan Kabak against Leicester

[Liverpool legend](https://www.lfchistory.net/player_profile.asp?player_id=354) Mark Lawrenson has urged Jurgen Klopp to play [Nathaniel Phillips](https://readliverpoolfc.com/2021/02/03/phillips-and-henderson-to-start-at-centre-back-v-brighton/) and [Ozan Kabak](https://readliverpoolfc.com/2021/02/11/liverpool-set-to-start-either-ozan-kabak-or-ben-davies-against-leicester/) as the centre-back pairing against Leicester City this weekend.

The Reds make the trip to the King Power Stadium on Saturday lunchtime looking to go level on points with their third-placed opponents. Klopp now has defensive options after [bringing in](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55897340) Kabak and Ben Davies last week, potentially allowing Fabinho and Jordan Henderson to return to midfield.

Speaking to *[Off The Ball](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KYhlMbGFO8)* \[via *[HITC](https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2021/02/11/take-him-out-bbc-pundit-urges-klopp-to-play-liverpool-23-year-old-for-experienced-duo/)*\], Lawrenson said this is exactly what Klopp should consider doing for the Leicester game, giving Phillips and Kabak a run together in the process:

> I would play one of the young kids now like Phillips, who came in and did absolutely nothing wrong. The manager probably thought the game was a little too big for him at the weekend.

> Just give somebody like him a run. The new boy they signed from Schalke, Kabak as well. And what’s the worst thing that can happen? They aren’t winning games.

> Take Fabinho out and put him in midfield. Take Henderson out and put him in midfield. And just start winning football matches again.

### Read Liverpool Verdict

Much of what Lawrenson says makes sense, but throwing Phillips and Kabak together for a game of this magnitude arguably feels a step too far.

Fabinho [has been magnificent at centre-back](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/115916/MatchStatistics/Fabinho) this season and I think it makes more sense to keep him there for now, allowing Kabak to slot in alongside a more established player.

Over time, it is vital that the Brazilian goes back into the defensive midfield role [in which he thrives](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/fabinho/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/225693), but given the potency of Leicester’s attack, going with Phillips and a [debutant in Kabak](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/ozan-kabak/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/361260/verein/31) could be a major risk.