When Alisson Becker was withdrawn through injury midway through Liverpool’s opening game of the Premier League season against Norwich City a sense of dread set in around Anfield. The Brazilian goalkeeper was key to the Reds’ success the season before, providing a sense of stability that had been so desperately lacking before his arrival. Everyone remembers Loris Karius’ performance in the 2018 Champions League final.
Indeed, Alisson’s early season injury was seen as a big blow to Liverpool and their chances of winning a first Premier League title. Adrian was thrown into the first team just weeks after he was signed as a free agent during the summer and there were some initial signs of shakiness from the deputy. Since then, however, the dread has ebbed away.
Liverpool have barely missed Alisson. The Brazilian might have helped his team to one or two more clean sheets, particularly in the Champions League group stage defeat suffered away to Napoli, but the Anfield side currently sit top of the Premier League table, five points clear of defending champions Manchester City, with six wins from their opening six fixtures.
Alisson could make a return to first team action this weekend with Jurgen Klopp’s side taking on Sheffield United on Saturday afternoon. However, in his absence Liverpool’s strength was underlined. While Man City have struggled without Aymeric Laporte, with the Frenchman ruled out for five to six months through injury, Liverpool absorbed the injury to their starting goalkeeper.
Liverpool’s depth has been questioned. It’s true that City have greater options from front to back, left to right. Pep Guardiola has the likes of Leroy Sane, Riyad Mahrez and Phil Foden in reserve, Klopp has players of a lower calibre. But it might just be the case that Klopp’s philosophy as a coach and the way it keeps his team playing in the same manner no matter who is on the pitch is sustaining them.
City over the past two seasons set a new precedent at the top of the Premier League table. Guardiola’s side might well be the best team in the division’s history. But Liverpool have started extremely strongly and it’s difficult to envisage where they might stumble. While many feared that Alisson’s injury would expose any weaknesses they had, it actually served only to highlight and demonstrate just how strong they are.
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