Nat Phillips sparks Celtic mystery leaving pundit baffled as Liverpool loanee shredded in scathing verdict
The defender has come in from criticism off the back of a performance that left Celtic pondering defeat.
Nat Phillips has been told he was the target of a Kilmarnock tactic to expose him in a brutal verdict on his Celtic performance at Rugby Park.
The Liverpool loanee has been met with criticism after a less than convincing outing in the heart of defence in place of Cameron Carter-Vickers. He turned one into his own net and looked uncomfortable on the day as Derek McInnes' side dominated the second half to win 2-1. Chances for Phillips have been limited in Hoops, having played eight times since arriving on a six-month loan from Anfield.
He has, however, kept Gustaf Lagerbielke and Maik Nawrocki out of matchday squads in recent times. Former Celtic defender Mark Wilson was far from impressed with the 26-year-old. He told Clyde 1: "I have seen Nawrocki once and I thought he looked quite good. Then he disappears with the injury.
"Lagerbielke I am the opposite. Seen him a few times and I am not too sure he is going to be a success. Those words could come back to haunt me."
In response to a question over if the Swede is any worse than Phillips, Wilson aired his backline confusion. He added: "No. That is the thing that baffles me. Because every time I have seen Nat Phillips, whether that be domestically or in the Champions League, I have never once came away saying he looks like a worthy replacement for Cameron Carter-Vickers; he looks composed on the ball and he looks like he can defend his box with authority.
"I have never came away saying that. I think Kilmarnock realised that in possession, they could leave him with the ball and he would give it back, which he did. Out of possession he was getting dragged everywhere. He goes for the ball across the face of goal which results in the own goal.
"I know it's incredibly difficult to do but you kind of know the outcome of that if you are stretching in your six-yard box with that foot. You kind of know where it is going to go. I don't think he should even go for it.
"That leads me to think Brendan Rodgers sees something I don't and a lot of the Celtic fans don't. He keeps playing him when Carter-Vickers is out. It's an odd one for me."