Jamie Carragher simply could not believe what he witnessed from one Liverpool player at a key moment in the 3-3 draw with Newcastle.
Liverpool travelled to St. James’ Park on Wednesday night in the hopes of maintaining or even extending their nine-point advantage at the top of the Premier League. Yet despite taking the lead through Mohamed Salah’s second goal in the 83rd minute, Liverpool’s usually dependable rearguard conceded a late equaliser.
Bruno Guimaraes whipped in a free-kick that looked destined for the gloves of goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher. Whether through misjudging the flight or believing no Newcastle player was lurking in behind, Kelleher elected to leave the ball in the hopes it would drift harmlessly out for a goal-kick.
Fabian Schar had other ideas, steaming in beyond the far post before hooking a brilliant first-time finish into the open goal from a desperately acute angle.
Reds legend Jamie Carragher was watching the contest unfold during a watchalong on The Overlap. The pundit was left flabbergasted at Kelleher’s error and wasn’t the only one bemused by the Irishman’s actions.
“As a goalie you just catch it, you don’t leave it,” bemoaned Carragher. “What are you doing?
“‘If you can catch it you catch it! As a defender if you can head it you head it. I can’t believe it.
“What was he doing there? What was he doing? I can’t believe he’s not caught the ball. I can’t believe the goalie. I can’t believe he’s not just caught it.”
Arsenal icon and fellow pundit Ian Wright added: “What’s happened to the goalkeeper there? The goalkeeper has had a mare. I think he thinks it’s going out.”
Caoimhin Kelleher expected to leave Liverpool
The Newcastle moment was a rare misstep in what has otherwise been a sparkling body of work for Kelleher at Liverpool.
The 25-year-old saved penalties in back-to-back matches last week (Southampton, Real Madrid) before denying Kevin De Bruyne in a crucial one-v-one against Manchester City last Sunday.
Kelleher’s increased game-time has come during Alisson Becker’s injury absences. However, once Alisson is fully fit later this month, Kelleher will return to the No 2 role.
What’s more, Liverpool have already lined up their long-term successor to Alisson and it’s not Kelleher. Georgian ace Giorgi Mamardashvili – signed from Valencia last summer – will arrive at Anfield at season’s end.
Alisson has already voiced his desire to see out his contract which doesn’t expire until 2027. With Alisson in situ and Mamardashvili arriving, Kelleher would be relegated to option No 3.
As such, the expectation is Kelleher will be allowed to leave Liverpool next summer amid the stopper’s burning desire to be a regular starter.
The Daily Mail recently claimed Liverpool have slapped a £35m price tag on the goalkeeper.
GO DEEPER: Five clubs Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher could join next year: Chelsea, Newcastle…
Latest Liverpool news – Van Dijk, Gravenberch, Zubimendi, Kerkez
In other news, David Ornstein has confirmed Liverpool have submitted a contract offer to Virgil van Dijk.
The offer – made some time ago – fell short of Van Dijk’s demands both in terms of financials and contract length.
Ornstein’s full update – including his assessment of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Salah’s situations – can be found here.
Elsewhere, GiveMeSport claim Alexander-Arnold is no longer the only Reds player in Real Madrid’s sights.
Ryan Gravenberch – -labelled “revelation of the season” by Dutch legend Ruud Gullit – is now in Real Madrid’s crosshairs too.
Finally, transfer insider Fraser Gillan revealed Liverpool aim to complete a double signing worth £91m in January.
Left-back Milos Kerkez (Bournemouth) and central midfielder Martin Zubimendi (Real Sociedad) are the two players being targeted. Full details on the double raid can be viewed here.
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