Under Arne Slot’s stewardship, Liverpool have transformed from a mere force to be reckoned with to one of the deadliest teams in Europe as well as on the planet – but his goalkeeper selection headache still needs sorting out, doesn’t it?
The Dutch tactician, widely regarded as one of the best managers in world football, has his men firing on all cylinders – bar in the FA Cup after exiting at the hands of Championship outfit Plymouth Argyle – but there are still areas to iron out.
Alisson Becker, unsurprisingly, has been Merseysider's go-to choice between the sticks since moving from AS Roma in the summer of 2018 but, in that time, has faced fierce competition from his deputy, Caoimhin Kelleher, when he was out of action.
Not only that, but Giorgi Mamardashvili’s arrival – which the Reds delayed by a season upon outlaying £29 million for his services – could force Slot into making a decision. But how have the three aforementioned glovebearers performed this term?
To note: the statistical deep dive has taken into account league games (the Premier League for Kelleher and Alisson; La Liga for Mamardashvili) alongside cup competitions, all while excluding encounters on the European stage.
Alisson, Kelleher and Mamardashvili – Their Seasons So Far
Alisson has conceded the fewest goals per 90
Before we dive deeper into the intricate metrics, let’s take a holistic look at their respective campaigns thus far. For Valencia, the Georgian has missed just four La Liga outings – between mid-December and early January – through injury and subsequent rest.
He’s played 22 times, equating to 1,980 minutes of action, and has conceded 38 times and kept a mere five sheets in the process. That said, Carlos Corberan is retaining his faith in the ex- Dinamo Tbilisi 24-year-old. For how long remains to be seen.
Alisson, commonly regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in world football, has been Slot’s primary choice between the sticks since the Dutchman arrived – and for good reason, too, given that he’s kept nine clean sheets in 21 appearances across league and cup competitions.
By virtue of the aforementioned Brazilian’s red-hot form, Kelleher – who is linked with a move away in the summer, particularly on the back of Mamardashvili’s arrival – has been reduced to 720 minutes across all competitions in 2024/25.
Primarily used by Slot and his entourage between October and December of 2024, the 20-cap Ireland international was nothing short of an imperious option - as evidenced by his rate of 0.92 goals conceded per 90.
Alisson, Kelleher and Mamardashvili – General Statistics
Metric
Appearances
Minutes
Goals conceded per 90
Clean sheets
Shot-Stopping Statistics
Kelleher, Allison's chief deputy, shines in saving metrics
As much as Alisson has been relied upon in the last seven years or so, there’s nothing wrong with a bit of competition – and Mamardashvili, one of the best performers at Euro 2024, could provide a favourable saves per 90 rate.
This season, the Tiflis-born ace has faced plenty of shots thanks to his side’s porous defence – but has been up to the task? His number of goals conceded suggests not, but he still recorded 2.23 saves per 90 – a rate superior to that of both his Liverpool counterparts.
That, of course, could be attributed to the fact that Valencia – compared to Liverpool, at least – tend to suffer more shots. Per 90, Mamardashvili has faced 3.91 in comparison to Alisson’s 3.01 and Kellher’s 3.15 this campaign.
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In terms of save percentage, a metric that is entirely instrumental to a goalkeeper’s performance, it’s Kelleher who reigns supreme with 73.2%. Elsewhere, Alisson has saved 71.4% of his shots faced and Mamardashvili, well, sits at 59.3%.
As we found out this week, the Spanish media have not taken well to Mamardashvili’s string of displays in between Valencia’s sticks this season – and, upon taking stock of his post-shot expected goal exploits, it’s clear to see why.
Across his 22 outings this term, he has statistically let him 4.6 shots that, by admission of the PSxG-GA calculation, should have resulted in saves. Liverpool's duo of Alisson and Kelleher boast positive rates: +1.4 and +0.4, respectively.
Alisson, Kelleher and Mamardashvili – Shot-Stopping Statistics
Metric
Shots on target against per 90
Saves per 90
Save percentage (%)
Clean sheet (%)
Post-shot expected goals minus goals allowed
Passing Statistics
All three goalkeepers reign supreme in their own right
As is the modern world of goalkeeping, it’s no longer about how well they can stop an incoming shot or how far they can reach to tip a long-range effort around the post – but there’s been a shift in focus to a shot-stopper’s ball-playing talent.
Ederson of Manchester City, in particular, has been lauded for his ability with the ball at his feet and, akin to a seasoned central midfielder, can spray balls with either foot – but what about the triad of players we are focused on?
From the three, it is Kelleher – irrespective of their length – that attempts to play the most passes (37.0 per 90). Alisson and Mamardashvili have both attempted 30.7 since the start of the 2024/25 campaign – but how many have been successful?
That's the most important aspect of passing, isn't it? And Alisson, who is among the top 15 goalkeepers with the most clean sheets in Champions League history, certainly has that down to a tee with a completion rate of 83.1%.
Kelleher, however, completes the most passes per 90 (27.6 per 90 compared to Alisson's 25.5 and Mamardashvili's 20.4), which proves his ability to dictate play and pick out teammates from the confines of his own 18-yard box.
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Breaking down passing into its constituent parts – and it can be halved into long and short passing. In terms of the former, Alisson’s completion rate of 47.2% sees him reign triumphant as he can pick out the likes of Mohamed Salah with ease.
Kelleher and Mamardashvili, elsewhere, have been the joint-best at completing short passes this term, with both goalkeepers enjoying a perfect, 100% rate. Allison’s – which, at the time of writing, stands at 98.7% – is less impressive.
Alisson, Kelleher and Mamardashvili – Passing Statistics
Metric
Passes attempted per 90
Passes completed per 90
Pass completion rate (%)
Total distance in yards
Short pass completion rate (%)
Long pass completion rate (%)
Kelleher Has Shined, Mamardashvili Has Disappointed
Liverpool's Alisson remained consistent across the board
Of course, it still remains to be seen whether Alisson will remain on Anfield’s books and keep his spot as Slot’s principal goalkeeper – but Kelleher’s string of impressive output across all statistics will give him food for thought.
He’s strong from a shot-stopping perspective while also comfortable with the ball at his feet, as the numbers suggest, and combine that with his performances for the Reds, and he’s a certified choice. There are, however, concerns over his future.
In terms of Mamardashvili, those associated with the Merseyside-based outfit will be hoping for an upturn in performances between now and when he arrives in 2025/26 pre-season, given that, overall, he scores the poorest of the bunch.
All statistics per Transfermarkt and FBref - correct as of 06/03/25