Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford has been playing better than Liverpool’s Alisson Becker this season.
That’s the view of TalkSPORT pundit Jamie O’Hara, who was asking callers to the station to give suggestions for a Team of the Season so far. When one caller put forward the Liverpool ‘keeper though, the pundit wasn’t having it.
“Alisson doesn’t get in this team, mate,” O’Hara told him. “You’ve got Ederson, Robert Sanchez, Nick Pope, Ramsdale, Lloris. Pickford’s been better than Alisson, he has. I can’t make a claim for a Liverpool player.”
Team of the Season already? It must be the international break.
Alisson flying under the radar again
O’Hara’s viewpoint somewhat solidifies the fact that Alisson’s displays this season are going under the radar.
Given Liverpool’s form, it’s easy to assume that the Brazilian hasn’t been at the races so far this campaign. In fact, the opposite is true, really.
Had it not been for Alisson, Liverpool’s results could actually have been much worse. They would have lost the Merseyside Derby at the start of the month, that’s for certain. Even Pickford could admire the quality of that performance.
The £67m man showed exactly why the Reds paid all that money for him against Manchester United, too. Liverpool did end up losing at Old Trafford, but one or two impressive stops from Alisson kept the score down to 2-1.
Even in the debacle at Napoli, Liverpool’s No.1 stood up to be counted. He may have shipped four goals that day but he was given zero protection from a pathetic defensive performance.
In the fullness of time, it will probably be forgotten that at 1-0 on the night, Alisson actually saved a Victor Osimhen penalty.
This isn’t something new for Alisson. Despite his continuous excellence since joining Liverpool, he’s only been voted into the PFA Team of the Year on one occasion. That was last year, when his brilliance was finally recognised by his peers.
No matter, Reds fans know just how good their goalie is. As he closes in on his 30th birthday next week, let’s hope he’s still around for many more years to come.
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