Former Premier League goalkeeper Ben Foster has suggested that Liverpool are lacking a crucial former part of their squad amid ongoing difficulties.
Arne Slot’s team have had a poor title defence so far, losing five of their 11 matches, which is one more than they lost in the 2024-25 season.
Their poor start to this season has left the Merseyside giants in eighth place in the table on 18 points, nine behind league leaders Arsenal.
Foster pointed out the significance of losing Caoimhin Kelleher to Brentford in the summer, with the Irish goalkeeper leaving Anfield for a fee reportedly around £12.5m to sign a five-year deal.
Foster lauds phenomenal Kelleher, ranks ex-Liverpool man among best five goalkeepers
Caoimhin Kelleher of Brentford during his side's match against Queens Park Rangers, on August 2, 2025
The former Manchester United shot-stopper was speaking on talkSPORT, where he highlighted Kelleher’s experience as a backup to injury-prone Alisson Becker, which has so far proved valuable at the Gtech Community Stadium.
"He's been phenomenal this season,” Foster said about Kelleher on talkSPORT. "I think what he's been exposed to at Liverpool, because he played quite a few games at Liverpool. Don't forget, Alisson had quite a few spells where he's been out injured.
"I think the way he handled himself at Liverpool, for one, was phenomenal, absolutely brilliant performances, really calm and measured.
"But I think that comes off the back of one, obviously his character, I think that's just how he is as a person anyway, but secondly, just being surrounded by Alisson as the no. 1 goalkeeper, getting to watch that week in, week out.
"Because if you watch him play, Alisson, he is the personification of calmness under pressure. Any moment, you know that he's in full control of everything he's doing.”
Kelleher, 26, has played every minute of Brentford’s 11 matches this season, making 23 saves with a 59% save percentage, according to Fbref.
Foster then placed the ex-Reds man among the league's finest in his position, along with former teammate Alisson and Manchester City's Gianluigi Donnarumma.
"I will say that I think there's some unbelievable goalkeeping going on in the Premier League at this moment in time," said the ex-United man.
"So I've got Emi Martinez, Aston Villa, Alisson, Liverpool, David Raya, Arsenal, Gigi Donnarumma at Man City, and Caoimhin Kelleher at Brentford.
"I think at this moment in time, [they] are probably the best goalkeepers, but there are probably other goalkeepers who are in more form or currently playing better than some of them as well.
Would Kelleher have been valuable to Liverpool during poor run?
Liverpool's Giorgi Mamardashvili pictured on September 23, 2025
Suggesting that Kelleher could have helped Liverpool during this period is undeniably hypothetical, especially since Liverpool have faced several issues out of possession this season as they adapt to making changes across the team.
Giorgi Mamardashvili has stepped in for the injured Alisson during this time, making 16 saves over five appearances for the Reds, with a save percentage of 66.7%.
However, looking closer at advanced analytics, the former Valencia goalkeeper ranks second-lowest for post-shot expected goals minus goals allowed per 90 minutes, a metric that effectively highlights shot-stopping ability.
Admittedly, Kelleher does not rank significantly higher, sitting just five places ahead of Mamardashvili. Nonetheless, the Brentford goalkeeper is also working with ostensibly weaker support in West London.
As a result, it remains unknown how well Kelleher would have performed at Anfield this season under the same conditions.
Nevertheless, some observers might argue that his chemistry with several defenders in the Liverpool defence and his shot-stopping history on Merseyside could have yielded better results than with Mamardashvili between the sticks.
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