ALL EYES ARE ON ALISSON
Schmeichel warns Kop keeper after cock-up
PETER SCHMEICHEL has warned Alisson he is now under extra pressure to justify his fee after his Leicester blunder.
Liverpool’s £67m summer signing kept clean sheets in his first three Premier League matches.
But the former Roma keeper was robbed of possession in his own box by Kelechi Iheanacho on his way to conceding his first goal in English football.
The Brazil No.1 is now on international duty in the United States before returning to face Tottenham in his next Premier League game.
And Manchester United legend Schmeichel said: “I think Alisson is a great goalkeeper.
‘‘He said even before the match he was going to provide the odd heart-stopping moment.
“That is his style. I think he got a bit ahead of himself, trying to show how good he is.
“What I’ll be looking for is how he reacts to now being put under scrutiny for making that one mistake.
“The next few months he will be under pressure. The media will be scrutinising every little thing he is doing.
“He will get extra attention because of Liverpool goalkeepers over the last five to six years, so everyone will be keeping an eye out.
“How is he reacting to that? Can he still go out and play at this very high level? That is the art of goalkeeping. That you have that ability.
“When he made the mistake the camera was on him a few times, he looked worried. It was playing on his mind.
“He needs to work on that. It’s the only way you can survive.”
Schmeichel was in London yesterday for the announcement of the shortlists for the Best FIFA Awards. His son Kasper was named among the top three goalkeepers – along with Thibaut Courtois and Hugo Lloris – after signing a new five-year contract at Leicester on Friday.
“Of course he would have liked to have tried one of the bigger clubs but the thing is there is no space – there was no movement anywhere,” said the Foxes star’s proud father.
“The thing is that everyone among the biggest clubs in the world is covered with goalkeepers, and that is the reality.
‘‘You don’t always know, as things can change in football, but he has committed to what he has and he absolutely loves being at Leicester.
“The owners have always looked after him. I really like this loyalty. It is very rare in football.” him completely. I know he will get even better in these coming years.”
Henderson, 28, joined the Reds in 2011 from Sunderland for £16m and took over as captain when Steven Gerrard departed in 2015.
He said: “There is no other place in the world I would rather play football. I want to be here for as long as I can be.”
Liverpool striker Mo Salah has become the first Premier League star to be shortlisted for the world’s best player award since Ronaldo won it in 2008 while at Manchester United.
He joins Juventus’ Ronaldo and Real Madrid’s Luka Modric on the three-man shortlist for The Best FIFA Men’s Player award for 2018.
Liverpool’s Champions League rivals Napoli are to complain to UEFA about the group stage draw. Napoli are angry last season’s finalists were a third-seeded team. The pair are in Group C with Paris St-Germain and Red Star Belgrade.