Liverpool doesn’t have many selection decisions to make ahead of the weekend. Outfield, the only real question is whether Cody Gakpo will be fit enough to start — and if he is, he should.
In goal, though, there is another potential conundrum. Should it be Caoimhin Kelleher, who has played most of the minutes so far in the Carabao Cup, who starts, or should Arne Slot go with number-one Alisson Becker instead?
“We never know what the situation is around a final: how fit everyone is, do they need a game, yes or no?” Slot said last month when he was asked about the decision. “I cannot guarantee anything. I never guarantee anything to players so far in advance and that is not what I am going to do now.”
Alisson Becker – James Martin
First of all, I love Kelleher. To be brutally honest, I think he has been somewhat poorly treated by the club. The signing of Giorgi Mamardashvili has signaled the direction in which Liverpool intends to go. That was an opportunist deal well below market value, but it sent a pretty abrupt message to Kelleher.
And you know what would have been even more opportunist? Securing an Alisson heir for nothing by looking within — on the evidence of this season, the Irishman is way further along in his development than Mamardashvili. However, we are where we are, and the writing is surely on the wall for Kelleher in the summer as he enters the final year of his deal. For that reason, the motivation to keep him sweet with high-level opportunities is no longer there.
(Image: Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Liverpool has benefitted hugely from having one of the best back-ups in the business, and Kelleher has been patient, never really agitating for a move — no doubt in part due to his excellent opportunities for cup heroics. But if he’s off at the end of the season anyway, the pragmatic choice for Slot is clear.
Kelleher might be the best number two in the world, but Alisson is the best number one. It’s no slight on the Cork native to say that in a straight choice between the two, there is no real competition. So while my sentimental side would love a last hurrah for Kelleher (and I’d back him to perform well), Slot should make the call that gives him the very best chance of his first Liverpool trophy. That is Alisson Becker.
Caoimhin Kelleher – Matt Addison
While Kelleher seems likely to move on in the summer and his last appearance was five weeks ago at Plymouth Argyle, this is a matter of principle, for me. While Kelleher has only played three out of five games in the Carabao Cup so far this season, it is his tournament (both of the domestic cups have been). He should play in what could be his last appearance for the club.
Kelleher was left out against Brighton in the Carabao Cup because Alisson was injured at the time and there was no point in risking him, leading to Vitezslav Jaros getting a go. The Irishman then sat out the first leg of the semi-final against Spurs because Alisson needed a game for rhythm purposes.
If it wasn’t for those specific reasons, Kelleher would have played every game in the cup, so not playing him in the final wouldn’t be a good precedent to set for the future with Mamardashvili arriving in the summer and wanting minutes. We don’t know how that situation will play out, but it has worked well with the number two being guaranteed games sporadically.
Alisson is pretty injury-prone for a goalkeeper, and Liverpool therefore needs to keep its second choice sweet. While that might not be Kelleher for much longer, the message sent to the man who replaces him could be key.
