Gary Lineker is the latest famous footballing figure to heap praise on Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher after his Carabao Cup final heroics against Chelsea.
The Irish shot-stopper spends the bulk of his time with the Reds as deputy to first-choice Alisson Becker, but Kelleher is often favoured when it comes to League Cup action. That remained the case for the clash against the Blues at Wembley, where the 25-year-old more than played his part in an impressive Liverpool victory.
Virgil van Dijk stole the headlines with a 118th-minute header, but the game may not have even reached extra-time were it not for some impressive stops from Kelleher. His first-half display saw him pull off a remarkable save to deny Cole Palmer from close-range when it looked certain that Chelsea were about to deliver the first blow.
The second-half brought more of the same, with Kelleher producing an Alisson-style save after Conor Gallagher was played through on goal. His performance clearly made an impression on Lineker, who waxed lyrical about the goalkeeper while also discussing Van Dijk's display on
"He [Virgil van Dijk] was brilliant but I would also have to say behind him, what a performance from Kelleher! Superb, isn’t he?”, Lineker explained. The Match of the Day presenter wasn't the only one who felt that way, with Van Dijk also singling his team-mate out.
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The Reds captain won the Man of the Match award but insisted it should have gone to Kelleher. "He should have got it. I’m probably one of his biggest fans, I think," Van Dijk explained.
"I have always said he is world class and he stepped up today, again. It’s good to see. He’s a good boy, good goalkeeper and that’s what we need at a club like Liverpool."
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Caoimhin Kelleher made a number of key stops during Liverpool' Carabao Cup final victoryBoss Jurgen Klopp echoed a similar sentiment, adding: "Caoimh was unbelievable. Such a mature performance. I say it often: we have the best goalkeeper in the world and the best Number two in the world. I’m so happy for him. Top game."
Kelleher's future has been the topic of much debate at the beginning of this year. The goalkeeper is contracted to the club until the summer of 2026 but was the subject of interest from fellow Premier League outfit Nottingham Forest on deadline day of the most recent transfer window.
The £15million offer was swiftly rejected by the Reds, which is an indicator of how highly Klopp rates the shot-stopper despite being second in the pecking order.
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