Liverpool ‘fortunate’ to have ‘outstanding’ Caoimhin Kelleher – ‘Disrespectful saying he’s a No. 2’

The backup shot-stopper is currently filling in for Brazilian star Alisson, who is sidelined with a hamstring injury.

In a similar situation last campaign, Kelleher replaced Liverpool’s No. 1 in the starting line-up and helped the club to a Carabao Cup title, keeping a clean sheet against Chelsea in the final.

He returned to the team in Liverpool’s Premier League win against The Blues on Sunday and then impressed once more against Leipzig on Wednesday, making six saves to keep a hard-fought clean sheet.

“It’s almost disrespectful saying he’s a No. 2,” McManaman claimed on TNT Sports after the match. 

“Of course, he does play second in command, when fit, to Alisson. But he’s played too many games now to be associated with that. He’s an outstanding goalkeeper, outstanding when called upon.

“I think Liverpool have been very fortunate, I really do. They’ve been lucky because he [Kelleher] was called upon at a young age and he stood up to it straight away. 

“Because if he was 25 and now he’d be 28, then they’d have big problems because they’d have to let him go, but because he jumped into the team at 21 and got ahead of Adrian, they’ve allowed him to flourish. 

“The problem is going to be next summer because they’ve bought [Giorgi] Mamardashvili from Valencia and he’s going to join the club next year. 

“He doesn’t want to be No. 2, Alisson won’t be No. 2 and he [Kelleher] certainly can’t be because he’s too good. That’s when decisions will have to be made.”

Darwin Nunez got himself on the scoresheet in the win over Leipzig, as he prepares to fill the void left by the injured Diogo Jota ahead of a blockbuster clash against Arsenal on Sunday.

The Uruguayan came under some friendly fire after he seemingly snatched the goal off Mohamed Salah, poking the winger’s effort – which looked to be going in – over the line.

TNT Sports’ Rio Ferdinand was not so sure, but he knew for certain that it could only be a good thing to get Nunez – who has struggled lately – back in the goals.

“As a squad, they would want him to be the guy who got on the scoresheet, they know that,” Ferdinand said in the studio.

“They’re experienced enough. If they’re going to be battling for trophies this season they need everybody firing on all cylinders. To get a bit of confidence, what better for a No. 9 than to get on the scoresheet? 

“Millimetres, it could have bounced back off the post and into the keeper’s hands, or it could have gone in. 

“If there’s a little bit of doubt, you’ve got to make sure you put it in the back of the net and that’s what a good striker would do.”

On Nunez’s performance, McManaman added: “I said before he performed really well. 

“His work rate was excellent, it was a hard night for Liverpool, it was always going to be a hard night away from home, a difficult place to go in Leipzig, but his overall performance was excellent and he’ll get the headlines because it was a 1-0 victory.”