NewsWhy Jürgen Klopp is 'very happy' to be able to call on Caoimhin Kelleher
Jürgen Klopp says he is 'very happy' that Liverpool can call upon a goalkeeper of Caoimhin Kelleher's quality in the absence of the injured Alisson Becker.
The Republic of Ireland international has been in impressive form since Alisson was sidelined with a muscle issue last month, producing fine displays in the Premier League and Emirates FA Cup, as well as at Wembley in the Carabao Cup final.
Kelleher is expected to make the 39th senior appearance of his club career in today's clash with Nottingham Forest at the City Ground, and ahead of that game Klopp discussed the 25-year-old's importance to Liverpool.
The boss told reporters: "The gap between the first and second goalkeeper cannot be a big amount. There must be quality in that position because the football demands are just too big to now play the goalkeeper for four years in a row in all the competitions.
"A fit player would always tell you he could play, and goalkeepers are special players but will say that, but no-one can do that. That is why we are very happy now."
Asked about the need to give Kelleher regular game time, Klopp continued: "It is completely normal that you have these discussions with players who are ready.
"An outfield player in a situation like Caoimhin would never come and ask and talk about these sorts of perspectives because they have 10 other positions. With a goalkeeper it is slightly different, but it never reached a point where we had a discussion whereby it was, 'You have to stay, shut up'. It was just the normal discussion about his future.
"The most important thing was [that] we had to help him on the next step in his development by playing more games. I saw it the same way as what the player would say.
"He has played a lot of games now, in the Europa League, the League Cup and quite a few league games as well. You would have to ask him exactly what he thought, but I think now he would be pretty happy with the decision he made in the summer."
Klopp also issued an update on the fitness of Alisson, who is continuing his rehabilitation at the AXA Training Centre.
"There is no real timescale on it, but it is a proper muscle injury," he said. "Different players recover differently. That is it pretty much.
"It is not a sure one. It is not that he will be in contention for next week or something like that. We have to wait a few more weeks, definitely, for him. He is working in the gym, not on the pitch."