'He could be one of world's best' - what next for Kelleher?

Alisson Becker's imminent instrumentality from wounded means Caoimhin Kelleher's latest tally successful the Liverpool archetypal squad could beryllium over.

The 25-year-old has been fantabulous for the Reds successful the past fewer weeks - and enactment successful a man-of-the-match show arsenic the Republic of Ireland bushed Finland 1-0 connected Thursday.

He saved Joel Pohjanpalo's punishment and kept retired Robin Lod's follow-up successful the Nations League triumph astatine Aviva Stadium.

Afterwards, erstwhile Republic of Ireland striker Kevin Doyle said connected RTE: "I deliberation successful 5 oregon six years helium is going to beryllium the apical 1 oregon 2 goalkeepers successful the world.

"He's that bully astatine everything helium does. He has got everything successful the locker. He ticks each box. If helium tin get himself playing I consciousness he's going to beryllium the apical man."

Kelleher is often called the champion back-up keeper successful the satellite - and astir ever performs erstwhile helium gets his chance.

He has lone conceded 5 goals successful his 8 games for Arne Slot's Liverpool broadside this season.

But if Alisson stays injury-free for the remainder of the season, Kelleher is apt to person conscionable a fistful of Carabao Cup and FA Cup games.

And with Valencia's Giorgi Mamardashvili joining adjacent summer, Kelleher mightiness not adjacent beryllium 2nd prime if helium stays.

BBC Sport looks astatine what Kelleher's aboriginal holds, whether helium needs to determination and conscionable however bully helium is.

Alisson suffered a hamstring wounded during Liverpool's triumph implicit Crystal Palace connected 5 October and has not played since.

The Brazilian, 32, has been Liverpool's fig 1 since his £66.8m determination from Roma successful 2018 - playing 271 times and winning the Champions League and Premier League.

At different club, against different goalkeeper, Kelleher whitethorn good person hoped 4 cleanable sheets successful 8 games whitethorn person been capable to support his place.

But Liverpool brag Slot has made it perfectly wide that is not an option.

"Alisson is, and volition be, our archetypal goalkeeper if helium is fit," Slot said aft Liverpool's triumph implicit Aston Villa - successful which Kelleher made immoderate fantastic saves.

"Caoimhin has done outstanding past play and this play again arsenic well. But the infinitesimal Alisson volition beryllium acceptable helium volition beryllium our archetypal goalkeeper.''

Liverpool fable John Aldridge, penning successful a Liverpool Echo column,, external does not deliberation it should beryllium specified a straightforward determination though.

"Caoimhin Kelleher has been magnificent and I really deliberation Arne Slot has got a truly large determination to marque successful the adjacent fewer weeks. Once Alisson is fit, I don’t deliberation it’s just if Kelleher gets demoted to the bench," said the erstwhile Republic of Ireland striker.

"I deliberation he’s been perfectly first-class. He’s been faultless with everything helium has done successful the games, and I deliberation Ali volition beryllium looking astatine it and beryllium embarrassed if helium went backmost successful due to the fact that he's done specified a bully job."

But Slot's quotes archer america that determination has already been made.

It has ever felt similar Kelleher would yet person to determination connected - unless helium kept waiting for Alisson, who is 7 years older than him, to diminution oregon leave.

But the Irishman's manus efficaciously seemed to beryllium forced successful August erstwhile Liverpool agreed to sign Valencia and Georgia goalkeeper Mamardashvili, present 24, successful a woody worthy up to £29m adjacent summer.

That could driblet Kelleher, who joined the nine aged 16 from Cork broadside Ringmahon Rangers, to 3rd choice.

"I've made it wide successful the past fewer years that I privation to spell and beryllium a fig 1 and play week in, week out," said Kelleher successful September.

"The club's made that determination to get different goalkeeper and from the extracurricular looking in, it looks similar they've made a determination to spell successful a antithetic direction."

Even if Liverpool amazingly sold Alisson, who has 18 months near connected his woody with the enactment for different year, Kelleher would apt stay 2nd choice, this clip to a younger goalkeeper.

Liverpool person turned down bids from Nottingham Forest successful the past year, portion Celtic person besides been powerfully linked.

Last period erstwhile Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Shay Given told BBC Radio 5 Live: "He isn't getting immoderate younger.

"Each crippled that goes by wherever helium doesn't play, helium volition ne'er get back.

"He has lone got 1 career, 1 beingness and 1 accidental astatine being a apical goalkeeper."

Kelleher's caller tally successful the squad seems to person proved helium is bully capable - but helium volition present look different spell connected the sidelines with Alisson's return.

In October, erstwhile Liverpool goalkeeper Sander Westerveld told BBC Radio Merseyside: "Alisson is the champion successful the world.

"I deliberation this is simply a infinitesimal for Kelleher to amusement the satellite what he's susceptible of. He volition astir apt permission astatine the extremity of the season."

Goalkeepers bloom aboriginal than outfield players - but Kelleher, who did not spell successful extremity until helium was 14, has not played astir arsenic overmuch shot arsenic helium ideally would have.

Not having immoderate indebtedness spells has not helped matters.

He has played 20 league games and 55 matches successful full for Liverpool - positive 19 times for the Republic of Ireland.

He lone became the Republic of Ireland fig 1 aft an wounded to Southampton's 22-year-old Gavin Bazunu, who has played 162 matches for 4 antithetic clubs.

Kelleher is older than incoming Reds keeper Mamardashvili, who has played 178 nine matches, and adjacent Italy's Gianluigi Donnarumma - who has played 402 times for AC Milan and Paris St-Germain.

Kelleher turns 26 earlier Liverpool's adjacent game. By that property Joe Hart had played 194 times successful the Premier League, with David de Gea, Ian Walker and Aaron Ramsdale each playing much than 150 times.

When Kelleher plays, helium usually plays well. His is simply a proactive goalkeeper, speedy disconnected his line, bully with the shot astatine his feet and a good shot-stopper too.

Some 32% of his touches successful the Premier League person been extracurricular the container (286/897) compared with 25% of Alisson's.

Kelleher has the nine grounds for punishment shootout saves arsenic good - stopping six kicks successful 4 Carabao Cup shootouts.

Kelleher did not prevention a punishment successful the 2022 last triumph implicit Chelsea, but scored Liverpool's 11th footwear earlier other fig Kepa missed his.

And his Premier League stats are favourable excessively - erstwhile helium does play.

Including goalkeepers to play astatine slightest 1,000 minutes since Kelleher's Premier League debut successful December 2020, helium has the sixth-best prevention percent (73%) and seventh-most palmy passes (28) per 90 minutes.

For what Opta defines arsenic goals prevented, which is goals conceded against expected goals connected target, since his debut helium ranks 3rd among Premier League goalkeepers (0.17 per 90 minutes), adjacent supra Alisson (0.15).

He has not made immoderate errors starring to goals.

Westerveld, who won the FA Cup, League Cup and Uefa Cup with the Reds successful 2001, told the BBC: "It's amazing. He steps successful and I can't retrieve him having a atrocious game. It's not conscionable helium steps successful and does OK, but helium wins matches for us.

"On the ball, his reflexes, he's agile, helium comes for crosses, his organisation - everything a goalkeeper astatine Liverpool should have, he's got."