Klopp full of praise for Liverpool’s new No 1
LONDON: Alisson earned a glowing tribute from Jurgen Klopp as Liverpool’s new No 1 made an impressive start to life as football’s most expensive goalkeeper.
The Brazil international had only trained with his new teammates for five days at camp in Evian but he was quickly on the same wavelength and his first meaningful action in the 5-0 drubbing of Napoli was a 60-yard pass that flew like a javelin into Mohamed Salah’s feet.
Such was Liverpool’s dominance in front of a sell-out 51,512 crowd, Alisson — who cost £65 million (RM345 million) when he left Roma last month — barely had a save to make and it was his footwork that most impressed his new manager.
“He’s quite a good footballer,” Klopp said with a telling smile.
“It was an all-round good performance. Everyone can imagine what it’s like to play your first game after everything that’s been written about him.
“He was very aware of all the situations when he was needed behind a high last line.
“We involved him a lot in our build up and we need to get used to that a bit more. But there were a lot of good situations. He caught the ball in decisive moments and I was really pleased.”
Klopp insisted nothing should be read into the final score but there was no getting away from how impressively his team attacked.
They took a fourth-minute lead through James Milner and doubled that advantage moments later when Milner’s cross was headed in by Gini Wijnaldum.
Liverpool went through the gears after half-time with Salah scoring the third, Daniel Sturridge drilling home the fourth and Alberto Moreno smashing in a drive at the back post to complete the rout. It is no exaggeration to say they could have scored 10.
There was, however, a sour point to the night as James Milner suffered a horrible gash to his head, an injury that is likely to put his place in the side for next Sunday’s English Premier League opener against West Ham in jeopardy.
“James Milner played a brilliant game and then went off with a crazy cut,” said Klopp. “He’s had 15 stitches in his face. He’s quite positive about it but nobody has shown him a mirror so far.”