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Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher has hailed teammate Alisson as one of the best goalkeepers in history. Kelleher has had to deputise for Alisson over the last two months, as the Brazilian has been ruled out with an injury.
Alisson arrived at Liverpool from AS Roma after the 2017-18 season for a then-world-record fee (£67 million) for a goalkeeper. He immediately helped the Reds win the UEFA Champions League in the 2018-19 season. In the years since, the Brazilian has repeatedly proven his mettle as one of the best in his position, claiming a number of trophies.
For Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool, the quality in depth of his squad extends to the goalkeeper position, where Kelleher has proven to be an able deputy. The Irishman has filled in admirably for his more experienced counterpart multiple times over the years, including in cup finals.
Kelleher was between the sticks for the Reds as they overcame Chelsea in the Carabao Cup final last month, keeping a clean sheet in the game. The 25-year-old earned rave reviews for the quality of saves he made to keep the Blues out.
Kelleher has spoken to Mirror about his relationship with Alisson, revealing that he considers him to be one of the best of all time.
He said:
“It’s always been really good with Ali. We’ve been together a few years now so we know each other quite well. He’s always there to support me and I think the view of the whole goalkeeping unit is that they are always there to support the person who is playing."
He added:
“Ali’s one of the best in the world in my opinion, one of the best ever. As I say, I’ve trained with him for a good number of years and just being able to watch him and what he does in the games and how he handles situations is probably the best thing for me.
“Being able to watch him so closely and then trying to emulate him and try to do what he’s really good at is great for me. I try to practise those things hard and make sure I’m in good shape.”
Caoimhin Kelleher has played each of the last 10 games for Liverpool, indicating the manager's trust in him. He has been tipped to make a move away from the club in the future, as he will want to be a regular starter elsewhere.
Caoimhin Kelleher set to retain Liverpool starting berth as Alisson remains injured
Second-choice Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher is set to retain his place in the starting XI as Alisson remains sidelined. The Republic of Ireland national has been the choice between the sticks for the title-chasing Reds for the past two months. He has kept five clean sheets in 22 games across competitions this season.
Liverpool boss Klopp revealed to the press that Alisson is expected to remain out until mid-April, giving a three-week period. He said:
"Two and a half to three weeks. It's not that long anymore."
This would see the Brazilian miss games against Brighton & Hove Albion, Sheffield United, Manchester United and Atalanta in the UEFA Europa League.
Caoimhin Kelleher will continue to man the post for Klopp's side for the foreseeable future while Adrian provides cover for him. Alisson will likely return in time for the second leg of their Europa League quarterfinal against Atalanta on April 18.
