Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has lavished praise on goalkeeper Alisson after he produced a match-winning save in the 1-0 win against Napoli on Tuesday night.
The Reds needed to beat Carlo Ancelotti’s men 1-0 or by two clear goals to ensure qualification to the Champions League round of 16. However, they came desperately close to elimination in the dying embers but for the heroics of Alisson.
How good is Alisson? Five things to know…
- Alisson’s last-gasp save against Arkadiusz Milik has only helped to accelerate his growing reputation on Merseyside.
- Since joining from Roma for a then-world record fee for a goalkeeper, Alisson has been a revelation at the club.
- He has been praised by legendary shot-stopper Gigi Buffon as “one of the top three goalkeepers in the world.”
- Liverpool have so far conceded only six Premier League goals – the fewest of any club.
- He has the best save percentage in the league with 86%.
Klopp will now breathe a huge sigh of relief as his side finished runners-up in Group C, and despite Mohamed Salah clinching the decisive goal, the German reserved special praise for his goalkeeper.
“The goalie made the save of the season,” he told Viasport after the match (via Goal).
“I have no clue how he made that save … Thank God we have him.
“If I’d known how good he was, I’d have paid double.
“I think nobody expected a save in that situation. It’s a goal, no?”
Alisson came out and stood strong as Milik somehow managed to evade the usually resilient Liverpool defence in the 92nd minute, but his effort was blocked by the Brazilian from point-blank range.
And so, should the Reds manage to replicate or even go one better in the competition this season, then that save will, not only prove a pivotal moment, but it may also be written into Anfield folklore.
However, it was not all smiles from Klopp after the win, as he also revealed his apprehension as the minutes counted down: “After 65 minutes, it was really wild. Counter, counter, counter.
“The save Alisson made I have no words. It was life-saving tonight.
“It wasn’t just one save – he had a lot of things to do and did it so coolly and calmly. Still he did it, incredible, unbelievable, never saw anything like it.”
“Great goalkeepers step up”
It wasn’t just Klopp who was waxing lyrical about the Brazilian after his exploits, Rio Ferdinand and Luis Garcia were also in awe of the save, believing Alisson has more than proved his worth.
“You buy a player like that. He’s done nothing really the whole game,” Ferdinand said on BT Sport, as quoted by Goal.
“He wasn’t really called upon. Distribution was fine, but in terms of making saves, he wasn’t.
“Then, all of a sudden, that one save, when that moment in the game comes, great goalkeepers step up, and he’s proven to be a fantastic addition.”
Loris Karius and Simon Mignolet have both fallen down the pecking order immensely since Alisson joined, with the former currently out on loan at Besiktas, but ex-Red Garcia insists the facts point in favour of the current No. 1.
“It’s not about being disrespectful, it’s about facts,” he said.
“Those kind of moments are the key moments when you need to stand still, to hold it, to be confident, and Alisson proved it not only today, but he has the whole season.”
Next up for Liverpool is Manchester United on Sunday.
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