Roy Keane has hailed Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher after their 3-1 victory over Cardiff City in the fourth round of the FA Cup.
The 23-year-old enjoyed a landmark season last term, making five appearances for the Reds in the Premier League and Champions League to establish himself as number two at Anfield, while also making his Republic of Ireland debut.
Kelleher has covered first-choice goalkeeper Alisson on a number of occasions this season with the Irishman making seven appearances in all competitions, keeping three clean sheets in the process.
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He has been very solid when called upon this season and Keane was full of praise for the Liverpool goalkeeper when on duty as a pundit on ITV Sport.
“Apparently when he was younger he started off as an outfield player, possibly a striker,” Keane said on ITV.
“He obviously wasn’t very good because they pushed him back.
“He’s obviously done very well for himself. Martin (O’Neil) brought him into the senior squad when we were with Ireland and what you’d say about him is he has a fantastic temperament and that’s what you need to be a good goalkeeper particularly at the big clubs.
“He’s done very well, great with his feet, a real maturity about him when he came into the Irish squad when I was there with Martin – a real nice presence about him.
“He wasn’t giddy around the place, his training, his attitude was spot on and it’s good to see him get some minutes for Liverpool.”
“He’s not in control is he”@IanWright0 thinks Caoimhin Kelleher was a lucky boy
#FACup | #ITVFootball | @EmiratesFACup pic.twitter.com/Bk7v9p1q4h
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) February 6, 2022
Meanwhile, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp admitted it was a “touching moment” when Harvey Elliott scored against Cardiff and praised the youngster for how he has handled his recovery.
“He was unlucky with the actual injury but lucky with the whole process afterwards, everything went really well. I think you deal with this kind of thing better when you are younger,” Klopp told ITV Sport after the match.
“He did an incredible job and the medical department did an incredible job. He dealt with it perfectly, really, and even from the first day he was on the way back.
“To score the goal, it was a touching moment to be honest. It is a nice little story but there were lots of nice little stories and I think the other goals were important as well.”
On the injury to new signing Luis Diaz, Klopp said: “It is just a bruise and a little cut and it is ‘welcome to England’. He may have a scar in the end.”
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