Caoimhin Kelleher has sent a clear message to Arsenal, boasting that Liverpool’s defensive game is on another level this season.
With the Reds conceding a mere three goals in the first eight Premier League games and securing a clean sheet in their latest Champions League outing in Leipzig, the Irish goalkeeper reflected: “It’s been a great start, obviously. It’s down to a number of things. Definitely, the defensive form has been key. We have kept a lot of clean sheets and conceded less goals.”
“It’s not easy coming away from home but we dug in against Leipzig and defended well as a whole team, we are doing that brilliantly right now. We’ve put in some shifts and there have been some big blocks and big tackles to get those clean sheets.”
Ahead of Sunday’s match in London, he acknowledged the game’s significance, saying: “It’s early days in the title race but it’s still a massive game. We did not get the best result there last season and we will be looking to do better this time. It will be really tough and we need to be prepared. I will always back the team as I know the quality we have.
“It’s going to be a tough game, obviously, it’s never easy at the Emirates but we will do our best to be as well prepared as we can and we will give it a good go.”
Kelleher is set to continue his role between the sticks in Alisson’s absence, underlining the importance of winning at Arsenal to boost Liverpool’s title hopes. The goalkeeper, fresh off a standout performance with five crucial saves in Europe, is brimming with confidence as he looks ahead to a series of starts rather than sporadic cup appearances. But he says there’s no need to seek guidance from Alisson because he’s immersed in the mission before him.
He concluded: “I don’t need to say much as I know what to do but yes, sometimes, there are conversations. I just need to keep playing well when I have the opportunity. It is nice to get a run of games, it’s easier to prepare.”