Jurgen Klopp blocked Liverpool ace’s exit – and now wants him to take his chance

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    Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp believes Irish keeper Caoimhin Kelleher will show why he had to keep him at the club last summer.

    The Reds were handed a boost yesterday with news that keeper Alisson’s hamstring injury is not as bad as first feared. The Brazilian shot stopper suffered the muscle problem late on in the Reds’ 1-1 draw with Manchester City on Saturday.

    Alisson, 31, had delivered an error-strewn performance against the Premier League champions before picking up the hamstring complaint. There were fears that he could face a lengthy spell on the sidelines but there are now hopes he can return for the clash against Manchester United on December 17 at Anfield.

    READ MORE: Liverpool receive Alisson injury boost after worrying hamstring issue at Man City

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    Alisson will still miss tonight’s Europa League clash with Lask and the Premier League encounters with Fulham and Sheffield United, and potentially Crystal Palace. Kop boss Jurgen Klopp said: “We have to see – not day by day, he will not play tomorrow, not on Sunday, probably not the week after. Then it should be kind of OK."

    Irish keeper Kelleher will step in for Alisson in his absence. The Republic of Ireland international would have featured in tonight’s game against Lask but will now step up in the Premier League as well.

    Could Liverpool sell Caoimhin Kelleher next summer? Give us your thoughts in the comments section below

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    He was linked with a move away in the summer with key figures in the Irish set up keen for him to become a regular starter elsewhere. But Klopp wouldn’t consider allowing his No 2 leave. And it was for moments like this that he wanted to keep the talented keeper.

    “That's why we knew we wanted to have Caoimh here for these moments,” Klopp said. “Nobody, Caoimh as well, wanted Ali to get injured, but if these things happen then you need the strongest possible option and that's Caoimh for us.

    “That's the only positive about that, to be honest, that we can put in Caoimh. That's fine. “Now he gets an opportunity that he deserves, he would have played this game anyway, that's clear, but now he will have a few more games and hopefully he can show his full potential.”

    Diogo Jota, who also suffered a muscle injury at the Etihad, will need a longer recovery time. The Reds can secure qualification to the knockout stages of the Europa League with victory over the Austrian side and will do as group winners if Toulouse fail to beat Union SG.

    “We have to make decisions. We are at the start of a super intense period,” said Klopp. “I will line up a team with fresh legs and go for it.”

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    Expected Liverpool line-up (4-3-3):Kelleher; Gomez, Matip, Quansah, Tsimikas; Elliott, Endo, Gravenberch; Doak, Gakpo, Diaz.

    Expected LASK line-up (3-4-3):Lawal; Ziereis, Andrade, Talovyerov; Flecker, Ljubic, Horvath, Bello; Mustapha, Zulj, Usor.

    • Jurgen Klopp
    • Liverpool FC
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    • Europa League
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