Alisson Becker or Caoimhin Kelleher: Who should be Liverpool manager Arne Slot's first-choice goalkeeper?

Alisson Becker is getting close to being fully fit again after his injury, which means that Arne Slot will soon need to choose between the Brazilian goalie and his deputy, Caoimhin Kelleher. So, who should the Liverpool manager select for the team?

Alisson suffered a hamstring injury toward the end of Liverpool's 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace on October 5. He has just started light training again, and Slot has stated that he and his medical team will be careful in how they handle his recovery.

"We take precautions with all players regarding their muscle health," remarked the Dutchman, who was hesitant to reveal whether Alisson would be available for the matchup against Premier League champions Manchester City at Anfield this Super Sunday.

He's currently training with the goalkeeper coach and not yet with the rest of the team, but that should change shortly. We'll have to see how he progresses in terms of fitness. He's improving steadily, but he's not quite ready to play.

There’s no need for Slot to hurry Alisson's return, especially since Liverpool has remained unbeaten in all competitions during his seven-week absence and currently sits at the top of both the Premier League and Champions League standings.

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Moreover, Kelleher has consistently delivered impressive performances while filling in for Alisson, making a compelling case for him to keep his position as goalkeeper even after the Brazilian has completely healed from his injury.

So, what do the statistics reveal about the strengths and weaknesses of the two goalkeepers? Additionally, what other elements will Slot and Liverpool's new goalkeeping coach, Fabian Otte, take into account when facing this challenging decision?

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Comparing Temperament And Experience: A Look

Both players possess remarkable composures; in fact, they are recognized for their calm personalities and are seldom seen getting flustered, even in the most intense situations.

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Goalkeepers face intense challenges during penalty shoot-outs, and no Liverpool goalkeeper has saved more penalties than Kelleher, who has stopped six in these high-pressure moments. He has also contributed to the team's success in all four League Cup shoot-outs he has participated in. In the thrilling 11-10 shoot-out victory against Chelsea in the 2021/22 Carabao Cup final, Kelleher scored the crucial penalty. Additionally, he was named player of the match in last season's final against the same team.

Kelleher was back in action on Wednesday night, making a crucial save against Kylian Mbappe's penalty during Liverpool's 2-0 victory over Real Madrid in the Champions League. This isn’t the first time he’s shown his penalty-saving skills—he previously denied attempts from Southampton’s Adam Armstrong, though Armstrong did manage to score from the rebound, and from Finland’s Joel Pohjanpalo earlier this month.

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Alisson played a crucial role in helping Liverpool secure victory over Chelsea in the penalty shootout of the 2021/22 FA Cup final. However, it's challenging to find anyone with as much on-field experience as the 32-year-old goalkeeper.

The hairy goalkeeper has played nearly 500 matches for Internacional, Roma, and Liverpool since 2013. He has also represented Brazil 71 times over the past decade and has secured nearly every trophy available since joining Liverpool for a record-setting £67 million in 2018.

On the other hand, Kelleher, who is 26 years old, has only earned 26 caps for the Republic of Ireland since he first played for the national team more than three years ago. Additionally, with Alison being the primary goalkeeper for the Reds, Kelleher has had the opportunity to play in just 56 matches across all competitions during his five years at the club, with nearly half of those appearances occurring in the last season alone.

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Alisson Leaves Reds Struggling Once More

Typically, you would anticipate that your primary goalkeeper will participate in all 38 Premier League matches in a season, and that's exactly what Alisson achieved during his first season at Anfield.

Despite his potential, the Brazilian hasn't been able to achieve that milestone in the five seasons that followed. Early in the 2019-20 season, just 39 minutes into the campaign where the Reds clinched the title, he faced a serious calf injury that kept him out for seven league matches. The next season, he dealt with problems related to his hip and shoulder.

Earlier this year, Alisson suffered a hamstring injury during practice, which sidelined him for an additional seven league matches. This season, he has also been unable to play in five more league games due to the same issue.

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On the other hand, Kelleher, who is six years younger than Alisson, has mostly avoided injuries since he first appeared for Liverpool in September 2019, with the exception of a two-month stint sidelined due to a hamstring injury at the beginning of the 2022/23 season.

Today, a key aspect of a goalkeeper's skills is how well they handle the ball with their feet. Since joining Liverpool, Alisson has consistently demonstrated outstanding ability in this area. This talent has led many experts to consider him one of the most well-rounded goalkeepers in the sport.

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As a Brazilian, the 32-year-old has always felt at ease playing as a sweeper-keeper. In fact, he has recorded three assists in the league during his time with the Reds and scored a memorable goal that secured a crucial late victory against West Bromwich Albion in May 2021.

However, in the past few seasons, Alisson has made a few unusual mistakes in his performance. A notable instance was when he accidentally allowed Vinicius Junior to score a tying goal during a last-16 Champions League match against Real Madrid at Anfield in February 2023. Additionally, he was responsible for conceding Gabriel Martinelli's goal in a critical 3-1 defeat to Arsenal, one of their main competitors for the title, also in February.

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Interestingly, around 32% of Kelleher's touches in Premier League matches occur outside his penalty area. While his passing accuracy is a bit lower than Alisson's this season (72.13% compared to 81.54%), Liverpool doesn't lose anything in this aspect with Kelleher in goal.

What Do The Overall Stats Reveal?

Absolutely, factors like personality, experience, readiness, and skill with the ball are important aspects of today's goalkeeper. However, what really counts when evaluating these players is their core skill: their capacity to prevent goals.

In this context, both players have made six appearances in the league this season. Alisson has allowed only two goals, while Kelleher has let in six. Additionally, Alisson has achieved three clean sheets, which is one more than Kelleher has recorded.

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During those six matches, Alisson dealt with 17 attempts on goal, successfully stopping 15 of them, which gives him an impressive save rate of 88.2%. He also managed to keep 2.7 goals from getting past him. In contrast, his substitute goalkeeper faced 23 shots, saving 18 for a save percentage of 73.9 and stopping 1.1 goals.

In the end, the timing of a crucial save during a game can significantly influence the final result. For instance, preventing a goal when the score is 1-0 carries a different weight than doing so when it’s 3-0. This was evident recently when Kelleher made exceptional saves against Brighton’s Georginio Rutter and then against Aston Villa’s Amadou Onana and Diego Carlos, which played a key role in helping Liverpool achieve close victories.

If we look at this metric across all competitions, Kelleher has stopped 4.5 goals in 10 games, while Alisson has prevented 2.6 goals in his eight matches. Notably, neither goalkeeper has made a mistake that resulted in a goal during this season.

"Will Alisson Return To Liverpool's Line-up?"

Slot has consistently made it clear who is at the top of his goalkeeping lineup. Following Liverpool's win against Aston Villa just before the international break, he stated, "Alisson is our number one goalkeeper, and that won't change as long as he is healthy."

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Caoimhin had an impressive performance last season, and he continues to excel this season. However, as soon as Alisson recovers from his injury, he will reclaim his position as our starting goalkeeper.

Even though Kelleher made a vital save against Mbappe's penalty at Anfield on Wednesday—leading former Liverpool player Steve McManaman to comment, "Kelleher isn't just a backup; he's truly a number one"—the Liverpool manager stayed firm in his position: "Every choice we make is challenging, but I believe I've been straightforward about that. However, tonight is really about celebrating how crucial Caoimhin has been for us."

Kelleher isn't just a backup; he deserves to be considered a top choice in his own right.

It was a significant moment for him. When you see Mbappe lining up to take the shot, I had the same mindset as everyone else, thinking, "This is likely going to score." But he managed to stop it. It was a remarkable moment for Caoimhin. That’s what should be the focus, instead of what I had clearly stated a few weeks back.

In both his performance on the field and the statistics, Kelleher has shown himself to be a reliable substitute for Alisson during his time on the bench last season and this one. There's a compelling case to be made that Liverpool wouldn't suffer by sticking with the Irish goalkeeper, adhering to the classic saying of "never change a winning team."