'Wow!' - Jurgen Klopp says one Liverpool player produced an A+ performance in Brentford victory

Liverpool remain two points clear at the top of the Premier League table after beating Brentford 4-1.
By Will Rooney
Published 18th Feb 2024, 03:00 BST
Jurgen Klopp manager of Liverpool showing his appreciation to the fans at the end of the Premier League match between Brentford FC and Liverpool FC at Brentford Community Stadium on February 17, 2024 in Brentford, England. (Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)Jurgen Klopp manager of Liverpool showing his appreciation to the fans at the end of the Premier League match between Brentford FC and Liverpool FC at Brentford Community Stadium on February 17, 2024 in Brentford, England. (Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Jurgen Klopp manager of Liverpool showing his appreciation to the fans at the end of the Premier League match between Brentford FC and Liverpool FC at Brentford Community Stadium on February 17, 2024 in Brentford, England. (Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

Jurgen Klopp saluted 'outstanding' Caoimhin Kelleher as he produced for Liverpool on short notice yet again.

The goalkeeper featured in last week's 3-1 win over Burnley as No.1 Alisson Becker could not feature because of illness. Alisson returned to training ahead of the Reds' trip to Brentford and was set to return between the posts. However, a suspected hamstring issue on the eve of the Gtec Community Stadium meant that Alisson was ruled out - and Kelleher stepped in.

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The Republic of Ireland international produced a confident performance in the 4-1 triumph that kept Liverpool top of the Premier League table. He was unlucky not to have kept a clean sheet, having made a superb save from Serge Regulion before Ivan Toney netted the rebound for Brentford's consolation.

Kelleher could now be set to be between the posts when Luton Town visit Anfield on Wednesday - and is already in line to start against Chelsea in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley a week today.

And Klopp couldn't have been happier with the 24-year-old's display at Brentford - labelling it A+. The Liverpool manager said: "Caoimhin had already enough games this year to have kind of rhythm. Goalkeepers are a different breed to other people so it was not in my plans to play [him] in Luton or whatever. How I said, we play the game we play with all focus and all attention and don't think about other things. It might be not the smartest way. It's just the only way I know.

"He was outstanding. I don't know exactly, to be honest, who is the number one [goalkeeper] in Ireland but if they have a better goalkeeper than him I have to say, 'Respect'. He's outstanding and this year we gave him more games than he had previously. It's well deserved because we need him, and we need him with rhythm and now the situation around Ali shows that it makes absolutely sense. We will see how long Ali is out, but Caoimhin is exceptional. Today he was... wow! It was an A+ performance."

Related topics:Jurgen KloppBrentford