Caoimhin Kelleher gets Liverpool start as Klopp loses three to Covid positives
CONFIDENCE: Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp celebrates with keeper Caoimhin Kelleher after their Carabao Cup quarter-final penalty shootout win against Leicester City.
Ireland's Caoimhin Kelleher has been handed a start by Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp for Sunday's huge Premier League meeting with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
The Ringmahon keeper comes in for Alisson Becker, who misses out with Roberto Firmino and Joel Matip after returning suspected positive coronavirus tests, the Anfield club have announced.
It will be the fourth appearance this season for Kelleher, following his Premier League start against Watford and roles in the EFL wins over Norwich City and Leicester City.
He saved two penalties in last week’s shootout against the latter to set-up an upcoming two-legged semi-final against Arsenal, which he was due to keep his place for anyway. There is also an FA Cup third round tie against Shrewsbury before them, providing scope for the 23-year-old to rack up a string of games.
Last June, he became the first Reds player since Robbie Keane 2009 to represent Ireland when he made his debut as an interval substitute against Hungary.
Meanwhile, Romelu Lukaku will not be involved for Chelsea either. The Belgian target man found himself at the centre of an interview storm this week after telling Italian media he was not happy with his role at Stamford Bridge.
The timing of the interview's broadcast has caused ructions behind the scenes at Chelsea and head coach Thomas Tuchel struggled to mask his annoyance ahead of Sunday's big game, suggesting he would deal with the matter “behind closed doors”.
Lukaku, signed from Inter in a deal worth over €100m indicated in the interview that he never wanted to leave Milan. The interview was recorded earlier in December but only aired on Sky Italia on Thursday.
Chelsea were caught unawares when Lukaku’s remarks about his difficulties adapting to Tuchel’s system were published. The interview was intended to help Lukaku build bridges with Inter fans, but it ended up causing unrest at Stamford Bridge.
“I don't like it,” Tuchel said in a press conference after the interview had aired. “But I don’t want to make more out of it than it actually is. It is very easy to take lines out of context.”
Mendy, Chalobah, Silva, Rudiger, Azpilicueta, Kante, Kovacic, Alonso, Mount, Havertz, Pulisic.
: Kelleher, Alexander-Arnold, Konate, van Dijk, Tsimikas, Fabinho, Henderson, Milner, Salah, Mane, Jota.
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