Adrian didn’t leave Napoli with positive memories despite producing a contender for save of the season in Liverpool’s Champions League opener.
With the score at 0-0, the Reds’ no.2 remarkably tipped over a close-range Dries Mertens header at full stretch.
But ultimately, despite controlling the second half, the visitors would go on to concede two late goals – the first a penalty – and fall to defeat.
Adrian’s contribution could otherwise have been decisive.
“It’s my job as a goalkeeper, to try to save all the balls as much as I can and to try to help the team,” he insisted in a post-match interview with liverpoolfc.com.
“I gave my best, I tried hard. But at the end of the day we lost 2-0, so I can’t be happy.
“We knew it was going to be a hard game for us, like last season was.
“At the end of the game it was small details; the penalty switched the game for them totally and then we lost a bit of shape and conceded the second one.”
Still, Adrian did offer an explanation for just how he kept the ball out.
It was a stop just as good, if not as important, as Alisson’s on Napoli’s visit to Anfield in last year’s competition.
“I was trying to cover as much of the goal (as possible),” he said.
“It was clear he was going to strike with the first touch.
“I jumped, watching the ball and tried to touch it with any part of my body, in the end I touched it with my right hand.”
He’s braced for another tough test on Sunday against a Chelsea side only outscored by ourselves and Manchester City.
It’s vital that we make a swift return to winning ways.
“We are on a good run,” he said. “We have won 14 (league) games in a row.
“We have to switch our minds now, we have a difficult game against Chelsea away on Sunday.
“[We have to] learn from the mistakes today and then turn the page.”
Perhaps Adrian will also feel he ought to have kept Mertens’ penalty, having guessed right and got a good hand to the ball.
He only has one clean sheet so far, a tally he’ll be looking to significantly boost before making way for Alisson.