IRISH GOALKEEPER CAOIMHÍN Kelleher has been included in Liverpool’s matchday squad for the first time.
The Cork native is Jurgen Klopp’s back-up goalkeeper for tonight’s FA Cup third-round clash with Wolverhampton Wanderers.
With first-choice stopper Alisson Becker rested, Simon Mignolet starts at Molineux (7.45pm) for what will be his second appearance of the season for the Reds.
Kelleher, who turned 20 in November, has been given his first taste of involvement in a competitive fixture, having featured in three of Liverpool’s pre-season friendlies last summer.
“He is an outstanding talent. Outstanding,” Liverpool boss Klopp said of Kelleher after his side’s win against Napoli in Dublin in August.
“He is very cool with the ball. He played in front of 100,000 people in a pre-season game, he has played in front of 60,000, so he isn’t really bothered about that. [It’s] a very important skill.”
He added: “He has fantastic reactions. If nothing serious happens, he has a really fantastic future. I don’t know how many really good goalkeepers Ireland have, but one more is never a big mistake. I like him a lot and I’m happy that we have him in our squad.”
Kelleher, who was handed a new contract in August, has moved up the pecking order to become Liverpool’s third-choice goalkeeper. Loris Karius (Besiktas), Adam Bogdan (Hibernian) and Kamil Grabara (Aarhus) are all currently out on loan.
The former Ringmahon Rangers player featured in the most recent Republic of Ireland senior squad, having been called up by former manager Martin O’Neill for the fixtures against Northern Ireland and Denmark in November.
Subscribe to our new podcast, Heineken Rugby Weekly on The42, here:
