Liverpool have so far racked up 17 clean-sheets this Premier League season – with goalkeeper Alisson on track to break Petr Cech’s all-time record of 24!
But the Brazilian is not taking any individual credit and reckons the entire side deserves recognition – including Mo Salah and Sadio Mane!
“The big secret of our defence is that the whole team works together,” Alisson told the official Liverpool FC magazine.
“It’s not just about the backline, it’s not just about the midfield – even the attackers will come back, like Firmino, to defend inside our own area. Mane sacrifices a lot to help with the marking. Salah helps with pressing, which starts way up top. If we fail up top, then we’ll have problems at the back. When something goes wrong, we all stay focused.
“We have our objective clearly in front of us, which is to win the game. With a clean sheet, we are one step closer to winning.”
Roberto Firmino does his fair bit at the back, but we wouldn’t necessarily suggest Mane and Salah are too much of a reason why our defence is the best in the country…
Virgil van Dijk is the planet’s best centre-back, which make an enormous difference and has improved the performances of every partner who plays alongside him…
Earlier in the campaign, Joe Gomez was stupendous next to van Dijk; and now Joel Matip has established a good connection with the phenomenal Dutchman.
On top of the centre-backs, Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold are the most creative fullback duo in the Premier League – but still do their bit defensively.
And Alisson has obviously been a jaw-droppingly good signing as well! We’d probably not swap him for any keeper in the country, David de Gea included. Imagine saying that last season!?