Liverpool will compete for the season’s first major trophy on Sunday when they take on Newcastle United at Wembley in the Carabao Cup final, with boss Arne Slot facing a tricky selection poser.
The Reds are looking to defend the trophy they won last year when they saw off Chelsea 1-0 as the Dutchman looks to land his first major honour since arriving at Anfield last summer.
When the teamsheets are swapped on Sunday afternoon all eyes will be on who Slot selects between the sticks, with goalkeepers Alisson and Caoimhin Kelleher both desperate to start.
John Achterberg hails Kelleher
While Alisson – who FourFourTwo ranked at No.2 in our list of the planet’s best goalkeepers last year – has been Liverpool’s No.1 since he joined the club in 2018, Kelleher has been a more than capable deputy whenever he has had to cover for the Brazilian or in his semi-regular role as the club’s ‘cup keeper’.
The final comes at what could be a key time for Kelleher, given Liverpool’s £30million deal for Georgia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, who is due to arrive on Merseyside in the summer, after remaining at Valencia on loan for the current campaign.
This could signal the end of Kelleher’s Anfield career, as the 26-year-old Republic of Ireland international is at the stage of his career where he will want to play regular first-team football.
And according to former Liverpool goalkeeping coach John Achterberg, Kelleher is good enough to be a No.1, as he believes the Reds have significant strength in depth.
“He’s been unbelievable too – he’s athletic, his speed reaction is crazy, he can play with left and right foot, everything a Liverpool goalie needs,” Achterberg told FourFourTwo.
“The club basically have two first-choice goalies – in my opinion they probably have the best goalie squad in Liverpool history. No one ever moans if Alisson is missing a game, because the other one produces the same level.”
Achterberg believes that Kelleher will be able to command a sizable fee, if he decides his future does lie away from Anfield.
“The club have made a lot of money on other goalkeepers, like Danny Ward, and if Kelleher goes they’ll make some good money on him,” he adds, before a cheeky reminder of his role in their development. “I think it paid for my salary over the years – I should have made a 10 per cent sell-on for me!”
In FourFourTwo’s view, Kelleher – who is valued at €22million by Transfermarkt – has all of the ability and attributes to be a first-choice Premier League goalkeeper and a parting of ways in the summer feels inevitable – he won’t be short of suitors.
