9 months ago
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Photo by ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images
Liverpool’s backup goalkeeper was the hero in Sunday’s League Cup triumph over Chelsea but he already has his focus on the next challenge.
On a night of standout performances as an exhausted, injury-hit Liverpool squad dug deep and got a heavy dose of help from their academy players to win the League Cup over Todd Boehly’s Billion Pound Blue Bottlers, perhaps no player stood taller than Caoimhin Kelleher.
The Irish international goalkeeper put proof to the claims of his manager and teammates that the 25-year-old just might be the best backup in the world as he made nine stops—including six in the box—to earn a clean sheet along with his winner’s medal. Afterwards, though, he only wanted to look forward.
“It’s a great kickstart for the rest of the season,” was Kelleher’s understated reaction to his heroics in the mid-season final. “We still have plenty of competitions we want to go and do well in and win some, so moments like this give you extra motivation to want to go and do it again.
“The reaction with the fans and the whole team, how buzzing everyone was, I think that kind of sums it up. It’s a great way to kickstart the rest of the season and we are delighted. I’m just happy to help the team and in the big moments you have to step up and make saves.”
With starting goalkeeper Alisson Becker expected out for at least a few more weeks, he’s going to have plenty of chances in the coming weeks to play a key role in those other competitions Liverpool are well in the mix for silverware in, most notable the Premier League and Europa League.
There’s also the matter of the FA Cup on Wednesday, though given the club’s many injuries and that some of the few fit senior players like Luis Diaz and Harvey Elliott ran themselves into the ground over 120 minutes on Sunday, it’s an open question what Wednesdays side will look like.
Kelleher may be called on again to start, but with the focus on upcoming league games against Nottingham Forest, Manchester City, and Everton and the two-legged Round of 16 Europa League tie against Sparta Praha, it could be that Adrian will be handed a rare start.
“Looking around there’s a lot of young players and I used to be one of them,” Kelleher added. “Now I’m not one of them anymore and I thought they were excellent. All the young lads that came in were absolutely superb and it’s a testament to the Academy they didn’t look out of place.”
