Kostas Tsimikas believes that Liverpool currently have the best player in the world in one position.
The 27-year-old was speaking to the club’s official website when he lauded the performance of Alisson Becker in the 2-1 win over Crystal Palace on Saturday, with two vital saves from the goalkeeper helping to ensure victory for the Reds.
The Greek defender told liverpoolfc.com: “When we speak about Ali we are speaking, for me personally, about the best goalkeeper in the world. What saves, unbelievable! What a guy as well.”
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Alisson was uncharacteristically ropey in the 1-1 draw at Manchester City last month, the game in which he incurred the hamstring injury that ruled him out for two weeks until his return at Selhurst Park last weekend.
However, he proved with those remarkable stops from Jefferson Lerma and Joachim Andersen on Saturday that class is permanent, and Liverpool fans have become gloriously accustomed to the £150,000-per-week goalkeeper producing such heroics.
Of the 21 ‘keepers to have played seven or more Premier League games so far this season (via FBref), the 31-year-old has the best save percentage (80.4%) and the fewest goals conceded per 90 minutes (0.86), which illustrates his quality within a competition often branded as the best division in club football worldwide.
Caoimhin Kelleher deputised commendably for the most part in Alisson’s absence lately, but the Brazilian is simply a cut above, and how he was overlooked for even a Yashin Trophy nomination this year is a mystery which’d stump Sherlock Holmes.
In the Jurgen Klopp era, few players have come up with such big moments at Liverpool’s time of need as much as the Reds’ number 1 – and as we all remember, that’s not just in terms of stopping goals, either!