Liverpool goalkeeping coach on Alisson: He is a goalie who has no fear

Alisson is one of the finest goalkeepers on the planet because the Liverpool star has “no fear” and is capable of making the difficult look “easy”, says Reds coach John Achterberg.

Jurgen Klopp invested heavily in a new No.1 during the summer transfer window of 2018, with a record-breaking £65 million ($78m) deal done with Roma for Brazil international Alisson.

The 27-year-old won the Premier League Golden Glove and Champions League crown during his debut campaign at Anfield.

A reliable last line of defence has also helped Liverpool to close in on a first domestic title in 30 years during the 2019-20 season.

Given the struggles the Reds had endured between the sticks prior to Alisson’s arrival, the South American has proved to be a final piece in the puzzle.

Achterberg gets to work with a world-class talent on a daily basis and considers him to boast all of the qualities required to sit at the top of the global game.

Liverpool’s goalkeeping coach told the club’s official website of Alisson: “He is a goalie who has no fear – if he does something, he sticks to his decision.

“In his mind, he knows what to do and he doesn’t hesitate. That is natural goalkeeping, having no fear, reading the game and deciding.”

Alisson has kept 31 clean sheets through 58 Premier League appearances, while also contributing one assist.

Achterberg added on a man who is considered to embody everything that a modern-day goalkeeper should be: “If Ali receives the ball, he is always looking to counter and restart the game quickly, in keeping with our way of playing.

“Mo [Salah] and Ali have had eye contact, they’re looking at each other, and Ali knows he has made the move and then has the quality to put the ball out into his path. When Ali cuts a corner or cross out, the first thing he is looking at is if there is the possibility of a quick restart with a throw or a side-volley.

“One of his big strengths is to stay calm in the high-pressure moments and making what look like natural, easy decisions, but they’re not easy because you always need perfect solutions and decisions. It’s a quality he has.

“Some reactions of a goalkeeper are instinctive, of course. It can be a split-second decision, but the main thing is your mind always has to be in an attacking mode, never take it off deciding whether you can reach the ball before anyone else, for example.

"If it’s a 50/50 or a 60/40, am I fast enough to get there to win it? That’s a mindset, but also a quality he has too, because he has the speed and reacts for it. It is a combination of everything in this moment.”