Liverpool played out a 2-2 draw vs Chelsea on Sunday evening. It featured a brilliant performance from Caoimhin Kelleher that rightly earned plaudits.
Liverpool suffered a triple blow ahead of kick-off vs Chelsea on Sunday. All three of Alisson Becker, Joel Matip and Roberto Firmino returned suspected positive Covid-19 tests, ruling them out of the game.
Now, the Reds could cover Matip by bringing in Ibrahima Konate and it’s debatable whether Firmino would have started over Diogo Jota. Alisson, though, was a real issue.
Liverpool have Caoimhin Kelleher as backup, of course, but he has nowhere near the experience of Konate. Hardly ideal for an opponent like Chelsea. Fortunately, there wasn’t any need to worry.
Caoimhin Kelleher shines vs Chelsea
Kelleher didn’t have an easy task here. He was up against a top side, on short notice and playing in front of a Liverpool outfield 10 that lacked some key players.
But the 23-year-old showed how good he is early on, saving at the feet of Christian Pulisic after a Trent Alexander-Arnold mistake. That was certainly his finest save of the game and Kelleher was bitterly unlucky to concede twice.
His punch ahead of the Mateo Kovacic volley was a great one – the strike was just even better. Kelleher didn’t have any chance against the equaliser either after Liverpool’s defence broke down.
Kelleher also showed magnificent composure with his passing. In fact, he was one of the best passers on the pitch, completing 84% – by contrast, Edouard Mendy completed 57%.
Praise for Kelleher
Virgil van Dijk was quick to praise the Irishman after the game.
“I’m quite a big fan of him,” he said of his Liverpool teammate. “He is a fantastic goalkeeper. He is learning from the best, in my opinion, with Alisson.
“His presence is good, he is confident on the ball and he is making good saves as well.”
Liverpool fans, too, had positive things to say about the Irishman.
Lots of credit due to Kelleher, then. Liverpool do have a special player here and one who, for our money, could start for several Premier League sides on a regular basis. The Reds are lucky he’s thiers.
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