Liverpool legend Ray Clemence has heaped praise on his successor between the sticks at Anfield, Alisson, for his impact last season.
The Brazil international was brought in for big money from Serie A giants Roma last summer , but proved to be worth every penny in a stunning debut campaign on Merseyside.
Clemence is a big fan: “People from the outside might focus on Virgil van Dijk and overlook Alisson, but the players around him won’t,” he told the Daily Mirror.
“They know he does things on the pitch that people don’t hear or see in the stands. Alisson and the City goalkeeper, Ederson, are right up there as the best in the world.”
OPINION
It’s hard to disagree with anything Clemence has said here. When you consider his claim that Alisson and Ederson are among the finest goalkeepers in the world, it’s impossible to find fault with his opinion. Certainly they are in the top five, probably alongside Manchester United’s David De Gea, Atletico Madrid’s Jan Oblak and Barcelona star Marc-Andre ter Stegen. In terms of how they all performed last season, though, the Liverpool man was arguably the best of all. Yes, Van Dijk has made a monumental difference at the heart of the Reds defence, but Alisson is equally as important between the sticks. We saw that in evidence in the Champions League final, where the 26-year-old was absolutely outstanding for Jurgen Klopp’s team. He may get overlooked from time to time, although probably not as often as Clemence seems to think, but his status as one of the world’s premier shot-stoppers is firmly established.
