'Really happy with him': Liverpool star performs heroics on international duty, manager 'lucky' to have Reds ace

Liverpool have a host of players who could realistically lay claim to being the best in the world in their role.

Is there a finer right-winger on the planet than Mo Salah? You could ask the same question about Trent Alexander-Arnold and right-backs, and Virgil van Dijk and centre-halves.

Alisson Becker, meanwhile, will always be part of the conversation when discussing the very best goalkeepers in the game.

But, while this may feel somewhat like a backhanded compliment, can Caoimhin Kelleher now be considered football’s greatest ‘number two’? Former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock certainly buys into such a theory, Kelleher labelled ‘the best number two goalkeeper in world football’ after his heroics helped Liverpool beat RB Leipzig in the Champions League.

Kelleher, during Alisson’s latest injury absence, has been near-faultless under Arne Slot.

And the Republic of Ireland are now benefitting themselves with the Cork-born glovesman heading out on international duty with confidence flowing through his veins.

Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher after Ireland heroics

Kelleher was at fault as he gifted Greece their deciding goal in a 2-0 win during October’s UEFA Nations League meeting.

But it’s fair to say the 25-year-old made up for that mistake while guessing right and denying Joel Pohjanpalo an equaliser as Ireland got back to winning ways with a 1-0 triumph over Finland on Thursday night at the Aviva Stadium.

“It is a team sport until the goalkeeper makes a mistake, then it becomes an individual sport!” coach Heimir Halgrimsson chuckles during his post-match press conference. “He really answered for that [blunder against Greece].

“The all-round performance was really good. So happy. Really happy with him.

This was only Hallgrimsson’s second win as Ireland boss at the fifth attempt. And, by his own admission, the home side were fortunate to have on their side a shot-stopper in such stellar form.

“We were lucky to have a good goalkeeper in this match,” the former Iceland boss adds. “Caoimhin is doing really well at this point in his career. He is not conceding goals for his club and I hope he will take that to Ireland as well.

“You can see his constant progress.”

Kelleher delighted by penalty save as fine form continues

The result lifts the Republic of Ireland onto six points.

And while they still trail Greece and England pretty substantially, Kelleher’s latest heroics will give those from across the sea some hope of a famous result at Wembley next week.

“Before he stepped up, I looked at the run-up and went with my instincts. And, thankfully, went the right way,” Kelleher told RTE Sport when explaining how he denied Pohjanpalo from 12 yards, ensuring that Evan Ferguson’s header would be the only goal of the game.

“Maybe in the first half we rode our luck at times as well. Two off the post [for Finland before the penalty] and good defending as well, some good blocks which you have to do at times. Thankfully, we scored a great goal as well.

“Other than the penalty there weren’t many chances in the second-half. So lots of positives to take from that.”