Irish Daily Mirror

Mane & Mo have made me better

- BY PAUL O’HEHIR

CAOIMHIN KELLEHER has thanked Liverpool’s world-class attack for taking his game “to another level”.

But he joked that his confidence is often shot trying to keep Mo Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino at bay in training.

And Kelleher - Ireland No.2 behind Darren Randolph - believes they can fire the defending champions back into the title mix.

The goalkeeper, who faced Brighton last night, singled out Salah as the toughest to keep under wraps in training but laughed: “I hate facing all the strikers, my confidence is getting killed every time!

“But it’s the best training I could possibly get, facing the best three attackers in the world.

“It takes your game to another level, it’s class. They’re exactly the same in training as they are in games - so in sync and in tune with each other.”

Kelleher, 22, made his Premier League and Champions League debuts this season but hasn’t featured since the FA Cup win at Aston Villa.

Yet he has now establishe­d himself as the preferred second-choice behind Alisson.

“It was a dream come true when I heard I was playing in the Champions League, I couldn’t believe it,” recalled the Cork man of December’s clashes with Ajax and Midtjyllan­d.

“Stepping out on the pitch and hearing the Champions League music, I couldn’t describe the feeling.

“But I’m a chilled guy on and off the pitch. The way I am off the pitch transcends onto it and helps me make the right decisions in games.”

UMM is where Youtubers & athletes collide - celebratin­g sports stars personalit­ies off the pitch and championin­g them as a force for good.

 ??  ?? LEARNING CURVE Kop & Ireland’s Caoimhin Kelleher
LEARNING CURVE Kop & Ireland’s Caoimhin Kelleher

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