Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson was “distraught” after suffering a leg injury 15 minutes from time during the Premier League leaders’ 1-0 win at Crystal Palace, former Reds striker Peter Crouch has said.
Brazil international Alisson threw his gloves to the ground in frustration after sitting on the turf when he sustained the issue while making a clearance at Selhurst Park.
“He knew straight away,” Crouch told TNT Sports, adding that he was “really concerned” as the 32-year-old trudged off after the full-time whistle, with Czechia international Vitezslav Jaros replacing him.
“When a player reacts like that, you know it’s a bad one. He looks distraught. That’s the one bad part today, losing Alisson. That could be a while.”
Alisson has been taken off the pitch after kicking the ball, and is replaced by Vitezslav Jaros 🔴
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/onakNHus2u
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) October 5, 2024
📰 Table Of Contents
Why did Caoimhin Kelleher not play?
Liverpool manager Arne Slot told the broadcaster that established back-up goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher had not played because he was sick on Friday.
Slot’s side will return after the international break with five potentially tricky games in 13 days, including encounters with Chelsea, Arsenal and Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League, a trip to Leipzig in the Champions League and an away game against the Seagulls in the Carabao Cup.
“The fixtures are difficult,” acknowledged the Dutchman. “I’ve also felt how difficult Wolves away [2-1 win] and Crystal Palace away have been.
“We will probably not be as dominant as we were today when we face Arsenal away. It’s up to us to show ourselves in the big games. Ali will not be with us in those games, I assume, having seen how he walked off the pitch.”
A debut appearance for Vitezslav Jaros 👏 pic.twitter.com/7sNabvt1WK
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) October 5, 2024
Vitezslav Jaros: Liverpool ‘trust’
“It’s very good that, with [Kelleher] being sick yesterday, our third goalkeeper got this performance in,” Slot said of 23-year-old Jaros.
“It’s always nice for a team that everybody is involved in results. He was very good. He had a very good season last season – I think he won the league [Bundesliga] and [Austrian] Cup. We trust him a lot.”
Liverpool academy product Jaros spent the campaign with Sturm Graz, having previously been borrowed by St Patrick’s Athletic, Notts County and Stockport County.
“He wanted to go [on loan again] because he wanted to have playing time but, at a club like this, we also need a very good third goalkeeper,” observed Slot.
“He proved that we are right. And maybe, for him, it was a nice moment to make his first appearance for Liverpool.”
