He’s Aliss in blunder land

CALAMITY KEEPER GIVES KLOPP KITTENS AS HE DOES A KARIUS – BUT BOSS SAYS IT’S ALL GOOD!

THE NAME on the back of the shirt worn by Liverpool’s keeper reads: A. Becker.

That should have been changed yesterday at the King Power Stadium to: A. Plonker.

It was a howler, a gaffe – a case of Ali-oops if ever there was one – with the only redeeming feature being that it did not drop the Reds right in it.

Two goals to the good and with the finishing line just coming into view over the horizon as the match entered its final quarter, a tricky afternoon in the east Midlands sunshine was on the cusp of losing its bite. That was until Alisson put the three points in doubt, conceding the Merseysiders’ first goal of the campaign and setting up a finale that was way more dramatic than it should have been as the Foxes sniffed a shock equaliser.

Yes, the boy from Brazil went the same way as Loris Karius before him. If Anfield chief Jurgen Klopp thought spending £66m on a shot-stopper was going to stop the kind of issues that have blighted the club during the past few years, he might have to think again.

The main difference between the two was the cost. Here, it was merely an unblemished goals against record. In Kiev in the Champions League Final, the stakes were obviously higher.

There was no sign of concussion this time either. However, there was a clear rush of blood to the head as Alisson collected Virgil van Dijk’s wayward backpass near the goal-line.

Instead of booting it clear, Kelechi Iheanacho made up the ground, robbed him and crossed for Rachid Ghezzal to fire into the net.

With plenty of gusto, Leicester pressed but Liverpool held firm and this triumph, the fourth on the spin, means it is their best start to the season for 28 years. But it so nearly wasn’t.

Klopp said: “We constantly get the ball to the keeper but the players need to recognise there are other solutions.

“Joe Gomez could have cleared it. Alisson could have too. That’s how it is. He’s a fantastic keeper and makes fantastic saves. He didn’t do what he was supposed to – but it’s all good.”

This was far from a fluid performance from the early-season pacesetters. But Leicester made life easier. They were wide open early on.

Mo Salah blasted wide from eight yards with the goal at his mercy before Sadio Mane peeled off Harry Maguire and needed one touch before firing into the net following good work down the left by Andy Robertson.

The Senegal star has now been directly involved in 60 Premier League goals – 37 for himself and 23 assists. Despite Salah’s heroics last season, that’s 15 more than any other Liverpool player.

Alisson did save well to block Demarai Gray’s effort midway through the half but it was no surprise when Roberto Firmino nodded a second from James Milner’s 45th-minute corner.

Leicester huffed and puffed but a goal never looked likely until Alisson’s moment of madness.

Foxes chief Claude Puel had a strange response when asked if he had told his players to close him down as he said: “Maybe, maybe not.”

He added: “We’re frustrated. We’ve had chances – there was the possibility of taking a point.

“It was a shame we conceded before half-time – it was a lack of concentration – but I’m happy about the reaction.”

For Reds midfielder Milner, this was a classic case of winning ugly. It had not been pretty, even at two goals up and the visitors had to dig deep to protect the points late on.

Milner said: “It wasn’t a good performance in most aspects – it was tough.

“I’m not taking anything away from Leicester – they’re tough. Sometimes you have to win ugly – and we did that.

“We’re in as good a position as we can be after four games – won them all. But it’s a long season and we can improve.

“There’s more to come from this team.” And from Alisson too, no doubt.