Alisson has been told he has a tough act to follow when he returns for Liverpool in Girona
Arne Slot gives a press conference on the eve of the UEFA Champions League football match between Girona and Liverpool, at the Montilivi stadium in Girona on December 9, 2024(Image: JOSEP LAGO/AFP via Getty Images)
Alisson Becker has been told he has a tough act to follow as he prepares to replace Caoimhin Kelleher in the Liverpool goal. Alisson is expected to make his first appearance in more than two months having returned to the Reds squad for their Champions League clash against Girona here in Spain on Tuesday evening.
The Brazilian has been missing since tearing his hamstring during the closing stages of the 1-0 Premier League win at Crystal Palace in early October.
In his absence, deputy Kelleher has put in a string of impressive performances to help Liverpool top both the Premier League and Champions League tables, although he was at fault for Newcastle United's late equaliser in the 3-3 draw on Tyneside last Wednesday.
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And Slot admits it will not be easy for Alisson - who has missed the last 11 games - to improve on the contribution of Kelleher, who kept three successive clean sheets in the Champions League.
"Alisson is fit, yes," said Slot. "I think it speaks for itself if you can play Alisson, who has been so outstanding for this club for so many years and for the Brazil national team. It is definitely nice to have him back and to have him available.
"But if you look at how his replacement did, it is not going to be easy to do it better. We expect that will be the same and on margins a bit better.
"But Caoimh did also so well that we can say that we have two very good goalkeepers. For so many years, Alisson has been so outstanding for this club that we are expecting and hoping he will do the same in the coming weeks and months."
While Alisson is back in contention, Diogo Jota hasn't travelled to Girona despite featuring in open training on Monday in Kirkby. Federico Chiesa and Tyler Morton also remained on Merseyside due to illness and a minor knock respectively, with defenders Ibrahima Konate, Conor Bradley and Kostas Tsimikas also out. Alexis Mac Allister is serving a one-match European suspension.
Liverpool have taken only a 19-man squad to Spain that also includes third-choice goalkeeper Vitezslav Jaros, 20-year-old midfielder James McConnell and Academy left-back James Norris.
With the Goodison derby against Everton called off on Saturday due to inclement weather, the Reds haven't been in action for almost a week and Slot has hinted he has no option but to go strong with his starting line-up.
"Everybody (available) is really fit because we skipped the game on Saturday," he said. "Now there is no reason to rotate from the last match. Maybe there is a reason for the upcoming match (against Fulham at home on Saturday in the Premier League) but there are three days in between to that one. We will start like all the other games with a very good team."