Jurgen Klopp has allayed the fanbase’s fears over a rumoured injury suffered by Alisson Becker ahead of the Merseyside derby, confirming that the goalkeeper is “fine”.
The 28-year-old’s availability for the upcoming fixture had been in doubt after fans noticed the shotstopper’s absence from training.
"My confidence [in Alisson], nothing has changed. We are all human and he showed that in the last 2 games. Not a problem. It's work and he is doing that. He doesn't get up and think he is a world-class goalkeeper. Ali is too smart to ignore [the mistakes]. Completely normal."
— Paul Gorst (@ptgorst) February 19, 2021
After issuing another reminder to neutrals of his brilliance against RB Leipzig, we at the EOTK likewise have no doubts about the capabilities of our No.1.
The prior clash with Carlo Ancelotti’s men was season-defining, in that it robbed the club of Virgil van Dijk – not to mention Thiago Alcantara for a considerable period – following a unnecessarily brutal challenge from Jordan Pickford.
Restraint in such a fixture does tend to be chucked out of the window, of course, and the Reds will need to be at their combative best, particularly with both sides eyeing a spot in the top four.
Considering our current injury list, however, we’d hope that the impending tie won’t be as costly for the remainder of our season as our prior meeting with the Toffees.
At the very least, having Alisson available in goal, with Naby Keita potentially due for a return to the matchday squad, is a massive boost for our chances of seizing all three points at Anfield.