Kelleher has been superb as a Liverpool stand-in - and that creates a problem

06 March 2024 , 07:00

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Kelleher has excelled in goal for Liverpool in recent matches (Image: Matt West/REX/Shutterstock)

It was deep into second half injury time that Liverpool kept their title push on track. A patched-up Reds outfit nicked a late 1-0 win at Nottingham Forest with Darwin Nunez coming off the bench to head past Mats Sels and secure a late, late victory.

With the welcome of title rivals Manchester City looming, victory at the City Ground was of paramount importance. As City dispatched of rivals Manchester United and Arsenal eased past Sheffield United, the three points earned at Forest could prove decisive in the title race.

In a mismatched XI with Joe Gomez in central midfield, the fringe players are coming up trumps for Jurgen Klopp in his farewell tour, with goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher perhaps the pick of the bunch. Granted, Conor Bradley has stepped in for Trent Alexander-Arnold superbly at right-back but Kelleher has shouldered the goalkeeping burden with ease.

The 25-year-old made a big save to deny Conor Gallagher in last week's Carabao Cup final and stood his ground to make a superb stop from Anthony Elanga to keep the scores level in Nottingham over the weekend.

While he didn't look entirely comfortable when called upon earlier in the campaign, his performance in the eventual 4-3 win over Fulham at Anfield in December a case in point, the Republic of Ireland international has excelled in the absence of Alisson. The Brazilian is widely regarded as the best goalkeeper in the world, and so to step in between sticks to deputise for the 31-year-old could have overwhelmed a mere mortal goalkeeper, yet Kelleher has made it look easy.

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Kelleher was superb in Liverpool's Carabao Cup final victory (Matt Impey/REX/Shutterstock)

This is all the more important for a Liverpool side that has by far and away the highest Expected Goals Against (xGA) overperformance in the Premier League (12.09). Klopp needs his goalkeepers to be on top form in order to keep strikers out, which the duo do to an extremely high standard.

Alisson boasts the best save success rate (79.5 per cent) in the Premier League this season, with Nick Pope (75.5 per cent) second and Kelleher (71.4 per cent) third. With the former out until after the international break, the latter has two massive domestic games and two European outings to fully prove his worth in a Liverpool shirt.

Following the meeting with City, Liverpool then face Manchester United at Old Trafford in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup in domestic competition. As Klopp looks to bow out with a quadruple in tow, these next two weeks are crucial for Liverpool, and to an extent; Kelleher.

The goalkeeper faces a decision on his future in the summer (Ryan Crockett/JMP/REX/Shutterstock)

While previously viewed as the perfect backup for Alisson, the issue is that with a taste of regular first-team action, Kelleher will want to continue playing regularly. At Liverpool, Alisson is the undisputed number one, yet even at 31 years of age; the former Roma man's goalkeeping career remains in its infancy. The same, too, can be said of Kelleher, who is six years the Brazil international's junior.

There is interest in Kelleher, too, with the summer window looming on the horizon. Forest wanted to sign the goalkeeper last year, while Celtic have been credited with an interest as they prepare for life after Joe Hart, the former Manchester City and Tottenham man retiring at the end of the season.

With the added factor of managerial uncertainty at Anfield, a move away from the club at the end of the season wouldn't be a huge shock. Kelleher is a goalkeeper who will not only want more game time to aid his development as a result of his current stint as the last line of Liverpool's defence, but has clearly done enough to warrant so.

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For the foreseeable future, though, Kelleher and Liverpool will focus on the task at hand - maintaining their quadruple push. Liverpool have won all six league games he has started this season, which is a good omen ahead of the potential title showdown with City at the weekend before a short trip to Old Trafford in the final round of games before the international break. Factor in the Europa League double header with Sparta Prague and it's a crucial few weeks for both player and club.

Impress and you have to wonder whether it's worth bringing Alisson back into the fold at all. Even then, if he does come back into the side, Kelleher will need to have serious thoughts about a potential summer exit. For the goalkeeper and Liverpool, they're very quickly approaching a crossroads in their relationship.

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Ben McAleer