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Liverpool news: Alisson prediction made over Premier League title race after Burnley save
LIVERPOOL goalkeeper Alisson could win Jurgen Klopp between “10-15 points” this season on his own.
That’s the verdict of BBC Sport pundit Martin Keown after the goalkeeper’s crucial intervention in a 3-1 win at Burnley.
The Brazilian - who cost a then-world record fee for a keeper of £65million when he joined from Roma in the summer - made a crucial right-handed save to deny the Clarets a stoppage-time equaliser.
Just moments later, Alisson sprang a quick counter-attack with an excellent throw down the right-hand side with Xherdan Shaqiri sealing victory just 10 seconds later in the same move.
Liverpool had to battle hard for their three points in east Lancashire with James Milner and Roberto Firmino scoring after Jack Cork had fired the hosts ahead.
But the win ensures that Jurgen Klopp’s team remain unbeaten in 15 Premier League games this season to stay two points behind leaders Manchester City with their defence having proved crucial.
That was despite Klopp having made seven changes to his starting line-up with goalscorer Firmino, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane among those dropping to the bench.
And Keown thinks Alisson - who also made several key stops in their Anfield win over Everton last weekend and has conceded just six league goals all season - could be a major difference for the Merseyside outfit across the length of the campaign.
Asked whether Klopp’s changes paid off, Keown told Match of the Day: “It did. The fighting qualities they showed in this game were outstanding because Burnley really pushed them all the way in this match.
Probably worth 10-15 points a season, this goalkeeper on his own
“The score-line makes it look comfortable but actually it was a real battle for them. Going a goal down as they did, Milner is the player that you want.
“We’ve talked about him as a role model, that player that you look to when you need to to get you out of trouble. Great goal to get them back level.
“[Virgil] Van Dijk, here what about this? Puts it on a plate for Firmino off the bench. And the goalkeeper, they paid a lot of money for him but you’ve got to come up with big moments.
“Probably worth 10-15 points a season, this goalkeeper on his own.
“The team, the determination to keep the ball out of the back of the net, Salah involved, Alisson getting the ball, most goalkeepers might dive on this but he wants to win it emphatically.
“‘Let’s take it to the other end’, [Daniel] Sturridge sublime little ball in, Salah outside of the left foot, Shaqiri running from deep [to score] and it made it look emphatic.
“It was a great win and a very important win. Look at the save, acrobatic save from the goalkeeper, he is a big, big plus for them.”
The win was offset by the disappointment of a first-half ankle injury to defender Joe Gomez, who has been one of Liverpool’s star performers this term.
Klopp explained post-match: “Joe is injured and probably not only a little bit. We have to see, we don’t know in the moment. We sent him home.”