"Ibou’s reaction cracked me" - Nat Phillips on his famous AC Milan skill move

Nat Phillips has commented on the time he sent Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Franck Kessie to the shops during a Champions League group stage clash against AC Milan.

Speaking to the Liverpool Echo, as quoted by Anfield Watch's Twitter account, the Reds centre-back explained how he was feeling when he pulled off the famous Cruyff Turn against the Serie A side earlier this season.

"I think it looks a lot better on video than it felt at the time," Phillips said. "I’ve gone to smash it out of play!

"It was a bit of a sticky situation and I had to deal with the danger, but as I pulled my leg back, he’s sold himself for the block a bit too early. Just through instinct, from playing the game so long and all our training, I didn’t have to think.

"My body just did it for me and I rolled the ball on the turn. If I did hit it, he might have blocked it and I knew he wasn’t going to change direction because he was already in the air.

“At the time I didn’t see Kessie go past me as well, it was only after when I saw the video. The Ibou’s (Konate's) reaction cracked me, you should have heard the noise he made! I knew it must have been good after that reaction, because I could hear him screaming!”

Anfield Watch Verdict

If Phillips does depart Liverpool this summer, at least he'll always have that famous moment.

The only reason the Reds were able to play that game against AC Milan was because Rhys Williams and Phillips put in an unbelievable shift during the last few weeks of the 2020-21 season to help Liverpool secure Champions League football.

All of our first-team centre-backs were injured.

Even though he hasn't been a consistent starter for the Reds during his time on Merseyside, he'll always be fondly thought of by Liverpool fans.

Hopefully he goes on to have a very successful career.