Ireland keeper starts for Liverpool at Anfield
Caoimhín Kelleher has hinted he wants to leave Liverpool
Caoimhín Kelleher has made it clear that he wants to leave Liverpool and establish himself as a first choice keeper elsewhere, yet he still has a job to do at Anfield for now and he will start against Bournemouth after Alisson Becker was ruled out due to injury.
Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Kelleher benefited from the international break as he played his first competitive minutes of the campaign and while he was away he spoke about his desire to become a full-time number one at another club.
The Irishman is back-up to Alisson Becker but even that position is under threat after Liverpool signed Georgia international Giorgi Mamardashvili, before loaning him back to Valencia until next summer.
While Kelleher’s future appears to lie away from Liverpool, he has got the nod to start against Bournemouth.
Alisson has a hamstring issue which he has been carrying for some time and was aggravated during the midweek Champions League win over AC Milan.
The Brazilian, who has played every match for club and country this season after featuring at the Copa America in the summer, spoke ahead of that game about his concerns surrounding the increased workload players are facing with the expansion of major competitions like the Champions League.
Ahead of the visit of Bournemouth, Liverpool’s third match of seven in 22 days, Slot said he did not believe the demands of the campaign were currently unusual and the only significant difference between England and Europe’s other major leagues was the festive fixture list.
Arne Slot does not feel fixture list has contributed to Alisson hamstring injury
“In Holland we also have Eredivisie, so we (Dutch teams) also play games at the weekend and also play Champions League and Europa League so we also play in the week,” he said.
“There is only one difference and that is the upcoming week when we play the League Cup so until now I’ve not seen anything I wasn’t used to at my former club.
“The Premier League has four extra games compared to the Eredivisie and also the League Cup, that’s the main difference, but from the start until now I think we have played as many games as my former club and hat’s not an issue for me.
“But the main difference between the Premier League and every other league in Europe – and you all know – is we have to play during Christmas and new year. In those moments that is the biggest difference between this league and all the other leagues.
“AC Milan had to play the weekend, they have to play Tuesday and they will also play the weekend.
“But the strength of the league, the quality of the league, the quality of Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth that is much higher than if you play an Eredivisie team that doesn’t play for the top-six positions. That is where it makes a difference.”
