Alisson or Kelleher? Liverpool Carabao Cup final starting XI verdict delivered

Alisson Becker or Caoimhin Kelleher? Liverpool Carabao Cup final starting XI verdict delivered

ECHO writers debate which goalkeeper between Alisson Becker and Caoimhin Kelleher should start for Liverpool against Newcastle in the Carabao Cup final

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Arne Slot will have several decisions to make ahead of Liverpool's appearance in the Carabao Cup final. Sunday will see the Reds take on Newcastle United at Wembley Stadium as they look to win their first major trophy of the season.

After the defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, the Carabao Cup remains Liverpool's only chance to win a cup competition this term. The Reds also remain the overwhelming favourites to be crowned Premier League champions this season with a 15-point advantage over Arsenal, who still have a game in hand.

Slot will most likely know the majority of his starting line-up to face Newcastle on Sunday. One position that may be up for debate is in the goalkeeping department.

Liverpool have both Alisson Becker and Caoimhin Kelleher available for the trip to Wembley. Kelleher has made three appearances in the Carabao Cup this season and has been the preferred option for Slot in the competition.

Alisson has just one appearance in the League Cup this season, which came in the first leg of the semi-final against Tottenham Hotspur. Viteszlav Jaros also has one appearance to his name after featuring against Brighton in the fourth round.

Newcastle face a similar dilemma having played second-choice Martin Dubravka ahead of Nick Pope so far in the competition, with former Liverpool defender and Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher making his feelings clear on who should play earlier in the week.

Reds legend Carragher said: "You go with your best team when you're in a cup final, certainly when you're in a position like Newcastle. Liverpool might do something different in terms of Kelleher but he's certainly got to prove that he's [Pope] in the best team tonight [against West Ham]."

Here, the ECHO debates which goalkeeper Slot should choose to start for Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final against Newcastle.

Mark Wakefield

So often over the last seven years, it has been Alisson Becker who has been one of the first names on the team sheet, But even in the Jurgen Klopp era, the Carabao Cup has often been the competition that has allowed Caoimhin Kelleher to thrive.

If you were being emotional about the decision, you would pick Kelleher given he is unlikely to feature in the Premier League this season unless Alisson gets injured. On the other hand, this is a cup final and emotion should be taken out of it.

Liverpool should do all they can to win the trophy and bring it back to Anfield. That includes picking the best team possible to get the job done.

For me, that means Alisson gets the nod over Kelleher. But I would not be sad to see the Republic of Ireland international start, either. An embarrassment of riches, to say the least.

Hannah Pinnock

Alisson is the best goalkeeper in the world and his heroics in the first leg against PSG last week attest to that. However, the Carabao Cup tends to be the competition for the no.2 goalkeeper.

Slot did opt to use Alisson in the semi-final first leg against Tottenham, but that was purely because the Brazilian was returning from an injury lay-off and was in desperate need of minutes. With both goalkeepers fit, it only makes sense to stick to the way selection has been managed in previous years, so Kelleher must start.

The 26-year-old has started Liverpool’s last two finals in this competition, both against Chelsea. He kept a clean sheet in each of those games and even scored the winning penalty against Thomas Tuchel’s side in 2022.

It almost seems unfair to rob Kelleher of a deserved Wembley appearance, not least because he has been the most professional no.2 Liverpool could possibly ask for. He has seamlessly deputised for Alisson when he has been injured over the last two seasons and supporters have complete confidence in him.

Richard Garnett

Caoimhin Kelleher has had arguably his best moments in Liverpool jersey whilst performing heroics in the Carabao Cup. Whether it was saving penalties or even scoring them, the Cork-born glovesman has never let the Reds down when he has been called upon in this competition.

However, Liverpool Football Club exists to win trophies and this is no time for sentimentality. Standing in Kelleher's way is the best goalkeeper I have ever seen play for the club in Alisson Becker. The Brazilian's show-stopping performance in Paris last week has been much talked-about but the simple fact is that Alisson can deliver such a level week-in, week-out and has done so since he arrived at the club.

When the two teams walk out at Wembley on Sunday afternoon, their established No. 1 will be between the sticks. No question.

James Quinlan

Go with your strongest, that is what I would usually say. But in actual fact we’ve seen two recent Carabao Cup finals in which Caoimhin Kelleher has started, he’s not let in a single goal and was the hero in the first of those against Chelsea in the 2022 penalty shootout.

Therefore start the Irishman, I say, he deserves it, and if this is to be his last season with the club then he will go out on a high - something we can all appreciate.

On the subject of penalties, I would like to hope Liverpool do the business in 90 minutes against Newcastle as was the case at Anfield mere weeks ago, but in case it does need settling from 12 yards then I’ve just seen Alisson get nowhere near four Paris Saint-Germain penalties. Maybe he isn’t the Reds’ best cup goalkeeper for that specific scenario.

Matthew Abbott

Sunday could well be Kelleher's last match for Liverpool, and what a way it would be to go out if that is the case - if the Reds retain their trophy.

After six seasons as the undisputed cup 'keeper, he should be afforded the opportunity by Arne Slot to go out on a high and win Liverpool a third League Cup in four years. A parting of ways appears inevitable this summer, with Alisson showing no signs of his abilities being on the wane, plus the impending arrival of Giorgi Mamardashvili.

Aside from sentiment, there is also the possibility of a second penalty shootout this week to decide the final at Wembley. Alisson could do little about most Paris Saint-Germain penalties, but the first one appeared saveable.

Kelleher's shootout heroics speak for themselves, and the goalkeeper is in form at spot-kicks this season, keeping out Kylian Mbappe in November 13 days after saving from Southampton striker Adam Armstrong. He also denied Finland's Joel Pohjanpalo while playing for the Republic of Ireland earlier that month, with Ryan Hardie's strike in the FA Cup fourth round the only one to beat him from 12 yards this term.

Bruna Reis

Despite this being the final we're talking about, Slot should still stick to using his backup goalkeeper like he has done throughout the competition bar the fourth round and the semi-final first leg. It wouldn’t be fair now on Kelleher not to be given the nod - especially as this is likely to be his last appearance in the League Cup as he could wave farewell to the club in the summer.

His previous displays have been promising and he is deserving of that opportunity. Kelleher has also been in better form than Alisson when it comes to penalties - having denied Mbappe and Armstrong previously.

Following all the talk surrounding Alisson's performance during the penalty shootout against PSG this week, I think it will be safer to hand Kelleher a start as he is yet to let the Reds down in this competition.

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