Leave Chelsea vs Liverpool apart, the Saturday fixture will be a match against two record transfers’ of this season. A match between two costliest goalkeepers of the Premier league. A match to prove their money worth. The players have played a big hand in keeping their team on a high-flight in the premier league table.
Breaking the stereotypical wage payment method, the sturdy lads came into the Premier league with a heavy price tag alluded with their name. As if it were a dream for both the players to be signed in Premier League, when their respective teams realised that no matter how many goals you net into, you will not win unless you have a specialist glove-wearer.
Keepers have the power to turn the game around. They have the power to unite the team when it gets unfolded. Holding heavy weights on their shoulders, it will be tough to decide who will come up top against each other.
Will it be fast reflexes of Becker or Will it be thumping dives of Kepa? Will Becker retain a clean sheet or Will Kepa stop Liverpool from scoring?
Will the Spaniard prove his worth or Will the Brazilian repay the value of his money?
Lot to talk about. Thus, let us analyse who can come up in the battle of Goalkeepers?
Alisson Becker
Learning from mistake are Liverpool. Experiencing defeats in last season, although having a strong forward, Jurgen Klopp knew he had to sign a dependable goalie and thus paid a heavy sum for Brazilian keeper, Alisson Becker.
Coming from Roma as a record keeper, Liverpool have surely benefited with the Brazilian, who has 4 clean sheets in his 7 games for Reds. Karius, who created a big faulty error in finals of Champions league paved way for Becker, who played against Liverpool in the semis.
If you compare the two according to their stats, Becker comes out on top. Be it his experience of the game or percentage of clean sheets he has kept or the accolades he has achieved, one will surely rank Becker higher than Kepa.( No ‘Gut’ feelings involved in justifying this)
Brazil’s first-choice will have an edge over his rival who is wet behind the ears. Becker has already started paying off his money worth, with a brilliant ‘wow’ movement against Brighton when he dink the ball over Knockaert.
His repertoire of coming up as the best goalkeeper in Europe will be tested against the dancing shoes of Hazard, dipping shots off Alonso’s boot or a rocket launcher from his fellow team-mate Willian.
According to Klopp, ”Alisson is obviously a goalkeeper who can play football, which is good. He’s confident enough to do it. He didn’t do it for showing off, he did it to sort the situation. He has a nice level of confidence, so he uses that.”
Kepa Arrizabalaga
Afraid of Courtois’ exit from Chelsea, the Blues had to find a probable replacement which they did in Kepa and indemnified a heavy sum on former Bilbao keeper.
What made Chelsea pay such a huge sum on youngster who is yet to be established? Maybe, it has a lot to do with Ferguson’s decision to sign De Gea that revolutionized United’s keeping woes.
Ceasing his 14 year long tenure with Athletico Bilbao, the 23-year-old was not going to find it easy coming into Premier League. With heavy price attached to him, his skills had to develop more than he eventually had. One would wonder, why have Chelsea paid £71 million for an inexperienced kid.
Although he may be flawless in saving penalties or may be ideal with his long passes but one does not pay a huge chunk on a youngster if they are trying to hold him for future. Chelsea seemed to have done the same and build him into a better player in near future.
Kepa has already pulled of some heroics but has also shown a glimpse of inexperience in his goalkeeping. Settling with the pace of Chelsea and their fans, Kepa has surely adopted it better than expected and will be ready for test of his exclusivity.
Having impressed Sarri in their first meet, Kepa was coming.
“I saw him a year ago and my first impression was that he was a very good keeper”, the Italian said.
“Very young, but very, very good”.
The counterparts will have to hold their nerves, maintain their composure and pull-off some stunners to be termed best.
