There’s a good case for Caoimhin Kelleher being the most understated Liverpool player during Arne Slot’s first season at the club.
Alisson Becker has suffered one or two injuries of late and Kelleher has ended up making 19 appearances for Liverpool this season.
Of course, the Irishman’s latest contribution was a clean sheet in the Merseyside derby, a fairly assured performance even if Everton didn’t threaten his goal too often.
Harvey Elliott was impressed with Kelleher’s display, who has arguably become the most reliable number two in the league.
But with Giorgi Mamardashvili set to arrive permanently from Valencia in the summer, Kelleher’s opportunities currently look like they will only diminish moving forward.
Virgil van Dijk hints at a possible Caoimhin Kelleher exit
That being said, Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk was asked about what Kelleher needed to do to start more often in the mixed zone following full-time at Anfield on Wednesday evening.
In response, Van Dijk actually began to speak about what might happen for Kelleher in the summer ahead, perhaps alluding to a possible move for the Irishman.
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The Dutchman was keen to stress that all of Liverpool’s players are focused and ‘committed’ for now, but perhaps hinted at a change of situation in the summer.
Asked about what Kelleher needed to do, Van Dijk said: “Be a Premier League champion, and that’s what the aim is for the rest of the season and what happens after the season, we’ll see then.
“But he has a big job on his hands now, whether he starts or has to make sure that Alisson is ready.
“We’re all committed to the club and we all have to fight in order to get our dreams, our big dream ready.”
Arne Slot’s brilliant Curtis Jones experiment
Of course, when speaking about understated performances in the derby, it’s impossible not to mention Curtis Jones.
The local Liverpool lad was immense out of position at right-back, a clever tactical move by Arne Slot who could have easily chosen Jarell Quansah.
Liverpool fans loved Jones’ display and even took the chance to poke fun at Trent Alexander-Arnold ever so slightly, suggesting that their first-choice right-back had just changed irrespective of his move to Real Madrid.
A much-needed win for Liverpool to calm down some of the noise surrounding the uncertain futures of their key players over the international break.
Slot’s side maintained their 12-point gap to Arsenal with eight games to go, a lead that now looks unsurmountable for the Gunners.
