Caoimhin Kelleher is worth his weight in gold for Liverpool, but where does he rank among the Reds’ best goalkeepers of the Premier League era?
With Alisson having succumbed to another injury, Kelleher is having to fill in like last season, and he is performing admirably.
The Irishman is arguably the strongest backup ‘keeper in the country, with Arne Slot the envy of the league when it comes to his deputy.
Here’s where we rank Kelleher among Liverpool’s 10 best stoppers since the Premier League started in 1992.
10. Chris Kirkland
Appearances: 45
Clean sheets: 13
Chris Kirkland arrived at Liverpool in the summer of 2001 as one of British football’s hottest young players.
He was tipped to be England’s No. 1 for the next decade, and at age 11, his family placed a £90 bet on him playing internationally, which he achieved once in 2006.
Sadly, Kirkland never reached his potential, due in part to bad luck with injuries, and he rarely felt like first-choice, despite moments of quality.
He did start the famous 3-1 win at home to Olympiakos in the Champions League, though.
9. Bruce Grobbelaar
Appearances: 45 (583 before the PL)
Clean sheets: 10 (257 before the PL)
Bruce Grobbelaar is among Liverpool’s greatest goalkeepers in history, achieving so much success in the 1980s, including winning one European Cup and six league titles.
His best days were behind him by the time the Premier League arrived, however, and an on-pitch fight with Steve McManaman at Everton in 1993 was his most significant moment from that time.
Still, he merits a place in the top 10.
8. Brad Friedel
Appearances: 31
Clean sheets: 7
Brad Friedel was a fantastic ‘keeper for the likes of Tottenham and Blackburn, but it is easy to forget that Liverpool were his first English club.
The American had to accept playing second fiddle to David James during the late 1990s, only managing 31 appearances overall.
In hindsight, the Reds may rue allowing him to leave for Blackburn in 2000, considering he went on to play 450 Premier League games in total.
7. Simon Mignolet
Appearances: 204
Clean sheets: 66
Simon Mignolet had his detractors during his time at Liverpool, but he deserves to rank higher than Kirkland, Grobbelaar and Friedel because of longevity.
The Belgian was in goal during the memorable 2013/14 season, saving a late penalty from Stoke’s Jon Walters on his debut, and there were times when he was a key performer.
Ultimately, the signing of Alisson highlighted Mignolet’s shortcomings, but 55 appearances in the 2015/16 season shows his importance, and he was capable of world-class saves.
6. Sander Westerveld
Appearances: 103
Clean sheets: 42
History hasn’t been kind to Sander Westerveld, but there was a time when he was a key member of a treble-winning Liverpool side.
The Dutchman played an incredible 61 times during that 2000/01 campaign, as the Reds won the UEFA Cup, FA Cup and League Cup.
An awful error away to Bolton early in 2001/02 proved to be a turning point, however, and Westerveld was swiftly moved on.
He was superior to Mignolet, though, even if he played a lot less often.
5. David James
Appearances: 277
Clean sheets: 102
Rather harshly, David James is remembered as a weak-link during the 1990s, even gaining the nickname “Calamity James” for his error-prone nature.
There were mistakes made, not least some bad moments against Man United at Anfield, but he was a talented player who was more consistent than he was given credit for.
James won the League Cup in 1995 and kept Friedel out of the team – much like the American, he enhanced his reputation after leaving, enjoying spells with Aston Villa, West Ham, Man City and Portsmouth.
4. Jerzy Dudek
Appearances: 186
Clean sheets: 77
Jerzy Dudek’s heroics in Istanbul will forever make him a Liverpool legend, with his penalty antics and that save to deny Andriy Shevchenko in extra-time against AC Milan, etching his name into Reds folklore.
While the Pole did have a mistake in him – ask Diego Forlan! – he was preferred to Kirkland for a reason and was outstanding in the 2003 League Cup final.
Dudek earned the man of the match award in Cardiff, making countless saves against Man United, and he should always be remembered as a good Liverpool goalkeeper.
3. Caoimhin Kelleher
Appearances: 52
Clean sheets: 17
We’ve got Kelleher in at No. 3 on Liverpool’s list of best Premier League ‘keepers – does that seem fair?
To have the 25-year-old ahead of some of those named above speaks volumes about how good he is, and he would walk into plenty of current Premier League sides.
Sadly for Liverpool, Kelleher will surely be weighing up his future following the signing of Giorgi Mamardashvili, but he deserves regular football in a top team.
His performances in the absence of Alisson could be so important come the end of the season.
2. Pepe Reina
Appearances: 394
Clean sheets: 177
After a string of divisive goalkeepers, many of whom are mentioned above, Pepe Reina felt like a coup when he joined from Villarreal in 2005.
Good on the ball, a strong reader of play and an expert shot-stopper, he was a vital player under Rafa Benitez and helped Liverpool become one of Europe’s best teams between 2006 and 2009.
Reina’s latter years hurt his legacy, not least a penchant for getting beaten too easily at his near post, but he was an elite goalkeeper at his best.
1. Alisson
Appearances: 271
Clean sheets: 117
There is a chasm in class between Alisson and any other Liverpool goalkeeper from the past 30 years.
Since 2018, the Reds have had the world’s best stopper in their ranks – the signings of him and Virgil van Dijk in the same year transformed the Reds under Jurgen Klopp.
In one-on-one situations, only Peter Schmeichel can lay claim to being as good when it comes to the Premier League era, and Alisson‘s greatest strength is making everything look effortless.
At 32 years old, he remains as good as ever, even if injuries are a concern, and he will hopefully remain at Anfield for a long time.
