Premier League: Kelleher takes hit for poor Liverpool effort

The festive season is in full swing and that means the action in the Premier League will be coming fast and furious too.

Not least for Liverpool, who against Newcastle on Wednesday night at St James’ Park, managed to run the gambit of emotions by anxiously coming from behind twice, to the elation of taking the lead with less than 10 minutes left, only to end up despondent by allowing the Toon to equalise in the last minute. The Reds have little time to recover from that epic encounter in the northeast, as they are quickly back in action for the early afternoon derby today, the very last league derby against Everton at Goodison Park, and all the emotions that will engender.

The midweek results saw the chasing pack close the gap at the top of the table to seven points as Chelsea, Arsenal, and Man City all claimed important wins. Meanwhile, Liverpool looked distinctly off the pace against an inspired Newcastle midfield that made the side that has recently humbled the champions of Germany, Spain, and England, look very average.

Toon tops

The hustle of the Toon midfield of Bruno Guimares, Joelinton, and Sandro Tonali had the normally composed Ryan Gravenberch, and Alexis Mac Allister scurrying to maintain any semblance of possession, especially in the first half. While a mixture of defence splitting passes and incisive breaks from Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon had the, up to now, assured Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez confused and chasing shadows.

For the first time this season, Liverpool looked a bit tired and leggy. Losing possession easily in the tackle and leaving passes yards short. And while Newcastle might feel hard done by for not getting a win, on the back of their performance, they would have come out the game relieved that they managed to claim a draw in the end. Scoring the equaliser in the added time.

But for a freakish set of events, it would have ended with a Liverpool win. An innocuous Newcastle free from wide on the right looked to have looped over the entire Newcastle attack, and while it was available for Caoimhin Kelleher in the Liverpool goal to catch, he picked not to risk a fumble by attempting to claim it. Instead, he decided to let it loop out of play as there seemed to be no danger. Unfortunately, for the Cork shot stopper, he didn’t spot the Newcastle centre-back Fabian Schar slide in to steer the ball back behind Kelleher into the net from a ridiculous acute angle.

Miscalculation

It was a bad miscalculation by Kelleher, and as is the case with most goalkeeper errors, proved very costly. Immediately, on social media, the keyboard warriors were denouncing Kelleher’s ‘mistake’ and demanding Alisson’s return. It didn’t matter that Kelleher had bailed out Gomez for an error in the game minutes earlier, that he spared Van Dijk’s blushes for messing up against Kevin De Bruyne in the City match, or the penalty save he made against Kylian Mbappe in the Madrid game. Now he was the bad guy for honestly misjudging the flight of the ball to a defender who had no right to score from such an angle. Not to mind, where were the defenders picking up Schar’s run behind the Liverpool line?

But I guess that’s the way of life for keepers. It’s either hero or zero based on a save here versus an error there. It’s disappointing for your role in a team that your one mistake is always remembered while the hours of good and even great work is forgotten.

Worst of all for Kelleher, the conceded goal allows Liverpool boss Arne Slot the excuse and opportunity to return Alisson to goals for today’s game without having to go through the debate that he was taking an in-form Kelleher out the starting lineup.

Still, whether he plays or not today, Kelleher can take consolation that his recent run and great keeping, has done his reputation no end of good. It has either secured his future at Liverpool, who would do well maintaining his place at the club. Especially when you consider how injury prone Alisson is. While his bargaining power and value has undoubtedly shot through the roof after his European and domestic achievements up to now.

For Liverpool, today’s game will be another big test for a visibly tired side. They will also be without the suspended MacAllister, joining the growing list of injuries. On paper and table position, this should be an easy win for the red half of Liverpool. But the Toffees will be pumped to make sure their last league derby at Goodison will go their way and it would not be a surprise by the end of the weekend that the gap at the top of the table will be back down to four points.