Stephen Warnock has claimed that one player is ‘quite happy’ at Liverpool despite having to be patient for game-time.
The injury to Alisson Becker has seen Caoimhin Kelleher enjoy a rare run of starts for the Reds, and the 25-year-old is making the most of his opportunity, having turned in a heroic performance in our Carabao Cup final triumph on Sunday.
The Irishman’s future has long been a talking point, with rumours of interest from Celtic doing the rounds, although the ex-LFC defender has suggested that our number 62 won’t be hammering on the manager’s door to beg for a transfer elsewhere.
Speaking about the goalkeeper on The Football Show on Sky Sports, Warnock said: “That’s the big question [that] there has been a lot of talk about. Does he need to go and play first-team football?
“I think he is quite happy with the situation because Alisson has had his fair share of injuries. He knows he has got the trust of Jurgen Klopp, [but] that will change in the summer because Liverpool will have a new manager.
“But he is getting games. There was a lot of talk about Salah being out, Nunez being out, but there was never talk of ‘Liverpool don’t have Alisson’.
“They don’t have arguably one of the best goalkeepers in world football. There was never any talk of that because Kelleher played anyway, but people are very comfortable with him as the number two. Some of the saves he made were outstanding.”
A combination of Europa League football, an extended Carabao Cup run and injuries to Alisson have contributed towards Kelleher making 16 appearances for Liverpool already this season, having begun the campaign with only 21 in total for the club (Transfermarkt).
However, it’s more than just circumstance which has led to Klopp selecting the Republic of Ireland international. The goalkeeper has been largely outstanding when called upon, not least at Wembley on Sunday and in the recent win at Brentford.
If he continues to excel in the Brazilian’s absence, the manager could even find it difficult to decide between the two once he has both available to him again. That’d be quite the testament to how well the 25-year-old has been doing.
As Warnock pointed out, though, the upcoming change in the dugout could complicate Kelleher’s future if the new man in charge doesn’t show him the same faith. Also, the Irishman couldn’t be blamed for wanting to establish himself as an undisputed first-choice pick elsewhere, especially at his age.
He may have a career-defining decision to make in the summer, but everyone of a Liverpool persuasion must surely be hoping that the Cork native is indeed happy to keep fighting for his place at Anfield, despite the presence of the imperious Alisson.