The story of Liverpool is decorated with goalkeepers whose names have repercussions through the ages – and some bear more distinction than others.
But who is the best of all time? A man in yellow reminded everyone how good he is on Wednesday evening when Alisson Becker again made a series of barely credible backups to seal a Smash And-Grab victory for Liverpool on Paris Saint-Germain.
After a remarkable evening in Paris thanks to the man with the gloves, Sport Mail asked Dominic King to classify his five best goalkeepers from Liverpool.
This is how he answered …
5. Pepe Reina
June 2005 – July 2013
A strong character and a leader in the locker room, the importance of Reina for Liverpool was so great at some point that the club had a six -year agreement.
During the 2009-10 season, when there was a financial storm and property problems, Reina’s performance was remarkable.
Pepe Reina’s heroism saw Liverpool to the 2007 Champions League final
Spanish displays in the 2009-10 season were crucial in the midst of troubles off the field
He had arrived in 2005 from Villarreal, shortly after victory in the Champions League in Istanbul, and had an immediate impact.
Liverpool’s defense was stingy and he reached 50 clean leaves faster than anyone before him. He left with three major honors and 177 whitening in 394 appearances.
4. Bruce Grobbelaar
March 1981 – May 1994
Flamboyant and eccentric; Fuel and, sometimes, chaotic.
Many wondered what Bob Paisley thought when he replaced Clemence by a young man from Vancouver Whitecaps who had previously served in the Rhodesian army, but an uncertain beginning came a remarkable career.
Grobbelaar had an elasticity – there is a backup in the FA Cup final of 1986 of the Everton Sharp attacker who challenged the gravity – and could do things unexpectedly (take his spaghetti legs during the 1984 European Cup final in Rome) but he was a fabulous goalkeeper.
He kept 267 clean sheets in 628 appearances (at a given time, he made 317 consecutive departures) and won 13 major honors; His teammates knew they could count on him and he was an extremely popular silhouette with supporters. He faced matching allegations after leaving Anfield but was found not guilty.
Bruce Grobbelaar was flamboyant and eccentric; fuel and, sometimes, chaotic
Grobbelaar with the 1984 European Cup, won in a penalty shootout with its bank legs
3. Elisha Scott
September 1912 – May 1934
This name could not mean much for the modern public, but, in terms of history lesson, there was a period when this Irishman from the North Pugnace was considered to be the largest footballer in Liverpool, even at a time when the machine for purposes which was Billy Liddell was in the conversation.
There was a time when Elisha Scott was considered the largest Liverpool footballer
Scott’s career was remarkable for its longevity and consistency, with 468 appearances
Scott made his debut in Liverpool on the day of the New Year 1913, keeping the first of 137 clean sheets, against Newcastle and he was actually between the posts of this day until his departure in 1934.
It was a remarkable career for its longevity and consistency, with 468 appearances and two league titles.
“Elisha was the best I have ever seen. You may have swift, trautmann, banks, wilson. You can have them all. I’m going to take Elisha Scott ‘ – these are not the words of none other than Dixie Dean.
2. Ray Clemence
July 1967 – June 1981
The goals of Mohamed Salah have caused a medico-legal examination in the last months of the list of scores, but a record that we can say with certainty which will never be broken is that which Clemence, which is immortalized in a mural, a good kicking of Kop, holds.
In 665 appearances, Clemence kept 323 clean sheets (including 226 in the league), 56 away from Bruce Grobbelaar and 146 BC, third. He was elegant, agile and the cornerstone of the team that won everything twice.
Ray Clemence has kept an amazing 323 clean sheets in more than 600 appearances for Liverpool
Clemence, photographed here with Kevin Keegan after winning the 1977 European Cup, could display his medal in a museum
Its transport of medals could be displayed in a museum and it contains five championship championships, three European cups, two UEFA cups, a FA cup and a league cup. He played during what could be considered the biggest era for English goalkeepers, which explains why he “only” received 61 caps.
It is amazing to think that Clemence barely glanced in his first three years in Anfield, having arrived from Scatherpe, and he and his wife, Vee, wondered if they should leave for him to get the opportunities he wanted. Fortunately, he stayed – and created history.
“My eyes and ears as a teammate,” said Phil Thompson. “And, Oh, what a guard.
1. Alisson Becker
July 2018 – Present
There is no room for recence in this choice. The arrival of Alisson in Liverpool from Roma seven years ago was as fundamental for all that the club has achieved since Virgil Van Dijk and Mohamed Salah.
It is the best to shoot a pair of gloves in Anfield and it is not something that we say lightly.
When Alisson presented himself in service with Liverpool, the team trained in Evian, a city at the back of Lake Geneva.
There were huge expectations, given its costs of 64.6 million pounds sterling, but in one session, everyone in the team knew that they had signed someone different.
Alisson was unbeatable in Paris Wednesday evening when Liverpool stole the victory
The Brazilian raised the Champions League, the Premier League and two national cuts during the Merseyside
It was the speed at which he covered the ground, the power he showed in situations that left on astonished spectators.
Alisson brought stops that he was not allowed to make and John Achterberg, then the goalkeeper’s coach, recalls: “F ***! It’s a different level!
Achterberg had been on trial since he started Internacional in Brazil in 2013 and spoke to former Liverpool n ° 2, Doni, about him.
When Liverpool and Roma clashed in a friendly match in St Louis in August 2016, Alisson played for Roma and Jurgen Klopp took note. To follow Achterberg, Alisson has been different since.
Alisson was one of the crucial figures of the recent series of domination of Liverpool
No Liverpool fan will never forget the superb goal of Alisson’s last goal to beat West Brom in 2021
Alisson saves the Mason Mason penalty in the FA CUP 2022 final shooting
Yes, what he did in Paris was out of the ordinary, but there are so many other games in which he was decisive – Napoli in December 2018; The header he scored in West Brom in May 2021, the penalty saved in the FA Cup 2022 final.
The most lively memory of this journalist, however, is from the final of the 2019 champion of champion when he grew up in stature while Tottenham retaliated.
He got out of the stadium at 1 a.m., gripping the trophy and simply said: “Sorry, I have to go. I have to protect this.
He protected Liverpool from the day he joined.