This is Kelleher's best chance yet.
It's make or break time for Caoimhin Kelleher as his biggest opportunity yet to establish himself as a genuine number one has arrived.
The Cork native has been
Liverpool's number two for several seasons and because Alisson Becker, one of the best keepers in the world, is ahead of him, it means that Kelleher has spent much of his career on the bench.
Despite shinning at times when called upon, most notably in the Carabao Cup, his lack of game time as meant that Gavin Bazunu has been Ireland's starting goalkeeper under
Stephen Kenny.
Make or break time for Caomhin Kelleher as his biggest opportunity yet arrives.
However, opportunity has come knocking for the young shot stopper as Alisson has picked up a hamstring injury against Man City that will rule him out for the next few games.
Couple this with the fact that Kelleher has already been given the Europa League games, most recently against LASK, where the understudy managed to keep a clean sheet, and make some impressive saves, it looks like he will be in for his longest spell in the team yet.
This opportunity is then compounded by the fact that Kenny is no longer the Ireland manager, meaning that the new boss will be, they will come in with a 'clean slate' mentality, and if the irishman can impress in this next period of games, he could find himself starting for his country as well.
Jurgen Klopp believes Caoimhin Kelleher will show just how good he really is.
During that Europa league tie against LASK, Liverpool may have won 4-0, but there were several mistakes that gave the opposition very clear cut chances that you would have expected them to score.
Although annoyed by this fact, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp saw it as an opportunity to showcase just how good his number two goalkeeper really is.
"The second half, the third goal was […] early enough, so that’s good," Klopp began.
"We could make changes, which we wanted to do anyway but now it was really clear that we have to do it immediately to rotate a little bit.’
"But then we lost rhythm and then we gave chances away and then Caoimh [had] not too much to do in the game with his hands – it was a lot with his feet – and then he was there; that’s good.’
"So, if you want, that’s a positive as well: we gave Caoimh some opportunities to show he is a good goalie."
Liverpool play Fulham this weekend, and it will be great to see the Corkman shine in the Premier League once again.
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