Steve McManaman says one Liverpool player was simply ‘outstanding’ vs RB Leipzig

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Liverpool made it three wins out of three to continue their perfect start to the new UEFA Champions League campaign as they secured a 1-0 away win against RB Leipzig.

Darwin Nunez’s first-half tap-in was the solitary goal of the game at the Red Bull Arena as the Reds largely controlled the game barring a late onslaught from the hosts.

Arne Slot has now won ten out of his first eleven games in charge of the club and Steve McManaman feels Liverpool’s latest victory would not have been possible if it wasn’t for one ‘outstanding’ player.

Steve McManaman in awe of Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher

Pat Nevin slammed Kelleher for his careless pass that nearly led to a goal from Benjamin Sesko, but the Irish goalkeeper silenced his critics in style with a string of outstanding saves in the second half.

McManaman feels Kelleher’s performances aren’t surprising in the slightest as he has been a reliable deputy to Alisson Becker over the years.

Read More: Caoimhin Kelleher shares his honest thoughts about his failed Liverpool exit in the summer transfer window

“It shouldn’t be a surprise, he’s played in cup finals for Liverpool, saving penalties,” said McManaman on TNT Sport.

“He played more than Alisson last year because of injury and he’s going to do the same this year.

“The fact that he played well is not a surprise, this is what he does. It’s almost disrespectful to say he’s a number two. He’s an outstanding goalkeeper.”

Kelleher’s stats vs Leipzig

Kostas Tsimikas was named Man of the Match by UEFA, but Kelleher stole the show for Liverpool as he earned himself a Sofascore rating of 8.3, making him the highest-rated player on the pitch.

Here’s what his underlying numbers looked like after his heroics in Germany, particularly in the second half.

• Six saves
• Two successful runs out
• One successful high-claim and clearance apiece
• Seven accurate long balls played
• 50 touches (33/40 passes completed with a pass completion rate of 83%)

Alisson is one of the best in the business and is undoubtedly a huge miss for Liverpool, but with Kelleher, the Reds are blessed with an able deputy who is more than capable of holding his own against some of the best teams in Europe.

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