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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
Richard Garnett

Caoimhin Kelleher Liverpool Carabao Cup call could be inspired move by Jurgen Klopp

When Liverpool's back-up goalkeeper walks across the Wembley turf on Sunday afternoon, he will be all too aware of the opportunity that has been afforded to him and a chance to make his own magical history.

If, as expected, Jurgen Klopp stays true to his word by selecting Caoimhin Kelleher in goal for the Carabao Cup final against Chelsea - and not Alisson Becker - the young Irishman will find himself thrusted into the spotlight like never before.

In what is expected to be a tight contest between two closely-matched sides, he may even find himself determining the outcome of the contest, particularly if it goes all the way to spot-kicks.

When it comes to the dreaded penalty shoot-out, Liverpool's record is a favourable one.

In 24 shoot-outs, the Reds have won 17 of them and lost seven. Of that number, 10 have been contested in cup finals with Liverpool winning seven and losing three, but two of those defeats were in the Community Shield, so not exactly heart-breaking.

It's difficult to make a big impact when you're playing second fiddle to Alisson, but in Kelleher's restricted game time he has already demonstrated all the attributes required to make the difference in a high-pressure shoot-out scenario.

READ MORE: Liverpool arrive at Wembley as Diogo Jota confirmation given for Chelsea in Carabao Cup final

READ MORE: Liverpool lineups as Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota decisions made for Chelsea in Carabao Cup final

His first success of note arrived on October 30, 2019 when Liverpool played out a crazy 5-5 draw with Arsenal in a Carabao Cup fourth-round tie at Anfield.

It was Kelleher who made the only spot-kick save, diving brilliantly to his right to deny Dani Ceballos with Arsenal's fourth attempt.

But there is no need to look that far back to find evidence of the 23-year-old's handiness in a shoot-out.

Liverpool's participation in this year's final can be partially credited to Kelleher when he turned hero again in the fifth round against Leicester City, three days before Christmas.

After Taki Minamino grabbed a last-gasp equaliser for the Reds at the Kop end, the contest once again had to be settled from 12 yards, and guess who was up to the task?

This time Liverpool's glovesman had to perform heroics twice. First he saved superbly to his left, to keep out Luke Thomas, only for Minamino to sky what would have been a decisive penalty.

*PICK THE LIVERPOOL TEAM FOR THE CARABAO CUP FINAL:

But when Kelleher repeated the feat again - foiling Ryan Bertrand in sudden death - Diogo Jota made no mistake and the Reds' path to Sunday's final was laid out.

Should the Cork-born stopper, who started life in football as a striker, end up providing shoot-out heroics to win the cup for Liverpool, he will join a group of goalkeepers who have all written their own piece of Anfield folklore by doing the same.

For older Reds, Bruce Grobbelaar's wobbly legs in the 1984 European Cup final in Rome were enough to sufficiently put off Roma players Bruno Conti and Urbaldo Righetti, who both missed, allowing Alan Kennedy to crown Liverpool European champions for the fourth time.

Fast-forward to 2001 and the Reds had their first trophy in a treble cup-winning season.

After Birmingham City took Gerard Houllier's side all the way to penalties at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium, this time it was Sander Westerveld who was the hero, first saving Martin Grainger's spot kick by diving to his left, before keeping out Andy Johnson's fifth effort to clinch the Worthington Cup and start a dizzying run of cup success.

There won't be a Liverpool fan on this planet that doesn't know about the 'miracle of Istanbul' in 2005 when Rafa Benitez's Reds somehow came back from 3-0 down to tie the match at 3-3 and take it all the way to penalties.

But the club would never had won its fifth European Cup if it hadn't been for Jerzy Dudek.

Not only did the Polish keeper save twice from Andrea Pirlo and Andrei Shevchenko in the shoot-out, to emerge as the hero, but he also made a miraculous double save from Shevchenko in extra-time that psychologically swung the match in Liverpool's favour.

Only a year later, the Reds were at it again, but in a different final and with a different goalkeeper. This time, it was Pepe Reina in the sticks for a shoot-out and his reputation for saving penalties rung true.

In an FA Cup final against West Ham United that ended 3-3 and is better remembered for the heroics of Steve Gerrard more than anything else, Reina first denied Bobby Zamora by diving to his right, before keeping out Paul Konchesky's spot-kick with his legs.

With Sami Hyypia missing, Reina's work wasn't done, but the Spaniard dully obliged with a third save against Anton Ferdinand that handed Liverpool their seventh FA Cup.

Reina would prevail victorious in another shoot-out against Cardiff City in the 2012 League Cup final, but this time he wouldn't have a save to make, as Kenny Miller, Rudy Gestede and Anthony Gerrard all missed the target.

However, if Kelleher wants true inspiration for cup final legend-status by a back up goalkeeper, he need look no further than team-mate Adrián.

With Alisson injured, the Spaniard signed for Liverpool on August 5, 2019 and nine days later, played in the UEFA Super Cup final against Chelsea.

With the score locked at 2-2 after extra-time, it was left to Adrián to write his own piece of incredible Reds history, saving Tammy Abraham's fifth Chelsea penalty with his legs to clinch the Super Cup after not even two weeks in the job.

Only Kelleher himself would be able to tell you how much he has studied the heroics of Liverpool's cup final keepers of the past, but if the Carabao Cup final makes it all the way to a shoot-out on Sunday, he will be ready to etch his name into the record books for all the right reasons.

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