Liverpool are approaching the end of what they hope will be a long but fruitful run towards a trophy-laden end to the season.
It is a time which requires every single member of the playing and coaching staff to be pulling the same direction. If Liverpool are to achieve an historic quadruple then just about everything needs to go right from now on in – and they will need a healthy amount of luck too.
Recently there has been lots of hard work and very little luck behind their gallop towards the finish line. And one player who has epitomised their recent form is their goalkeeper, Alisson Becker.
A year ago the Brazilian was the toast of the red half of Merseyside after scoring a dramatic late header against West Brom. There has been nothing quite as remarkable this season, but plenty of the unremarkable yet absolutely vital to enjoy.
While Mohamed Salah will rightly take the plaudits for leading the line and Thiago Alcantara is the toast of the midfield at the moment following some sublime performances and Virgil van Dijk commands the back line, it is Alisson who is established as Liverpool’s great unsung hero.
That is only his external status, because he is certainly valued by his team-mates, who have watched time and again as the Brazilian has kept them in games, or ensured their clean sheet remains intact. His influence can actually be quantified too after the 1-0 win over Newcastle United on Saturday.
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The shut-out saw Alisson become the first goalkeeper to reach 20 clean sheets in Europe's top five leagues this season. He now has 85 clean sheets in 177 games for the Reds since his £66.8million transfer from Roma in the summer of 2018. That is some going.
More than just keeping the ball out of the goal – which is pretty helpful – Alisson is crucial to Jurgen Klopp’s style of play at Liverpool. The 29-year-old is alert and reads the game exceptionally well – an asset which means his team-mates can press high up the pitch safe in the knowledge that, if an opponent does get in behind, more often than not Alisson will be there to sweep up.
"I'm there for everything, I'm prepared for that,” Alisson said recently. “I play for Liverpool, a big team who plays more on the opposite side of the field, always attacking more than the opponents and creating more chances. I need to be ready." That is something Liverpool can count on for many years to come, considering the Brazil international signed a contract extension until June 2027 at the start of the season.
A large part of that trust from the club stems from his unflappable nature – but also the bond Alisson shares with Klopp. “Yeah, it is a really good relationship,” he told Sony Sports India last month. “He’s like a father to me. When I spoke with him for the first time on a FaceTime video call, he just answered the call and started to smile, I started to smile and we could already see that we would have a connection. I think I have some feelings about life and how life works which are similar to him.
“I really like the way he works and the way he makes the team feel comfortable and at the same time puts pressure on us. He’s a guy who is always happy, but when you go onto the pitch it’s hard work, serious work and he’s a top manager, so all those things contribute to a good relationship. I really love to be here and working with him. I love my life here at Liverpool.”
Alisson loves being with Liverpool – and there is no doubt all associated with the club love having him there.
