Alisson Becker looks likely to start Liverpool’s final Premier League game of the season against Brentford, amid Carlo Ancelotti’s announcement that the injury-plagued goalkeeper will be heading to the World Cup with Brazil, despite all his recent setbacks at Anfield.
Arne Slot has had to choose between Freddie Woodman and Giorgi Mamardashvili across Liverpool’s last seven Premier League games, with Alisson Becker sidelined owing to an untimely hamstring concern.
Only one clean sheet has been kept in top-flight action, with both Woodman and Mamardashvili battling it out to be the stand-in number one, with the Georgian looking noticeably wobbly during Liverpool’s last outing, as Slot’s men were humbled 4-2 on their travels to face Unai Emery’s rampant Aston Villa.
Alisson Becker’s name was missing from the team sheet at Villa Park. It came as a genuine surprise, particularly after Arne Slot had used his pre-match press conference to confirm the influential Brazilian was back in first-team training following his latest injury layoff.
“If he’s in goal tomorrow, they will support him and if he’s in goal next week, they will support him, and the same goes for next season.” he said
Ancelotti’s update on Alisson
While Alisson’s injury struggles have derailed his season for the most part, the two-time Premier League winner has still been selected to represent Brazil at the upcoming World Cup.
Indeed, the Brazil squad announcement was unveiled by Ancelotti, who previously managed Liverpool’s Merseyside enemies, Everton, on Monday, with the likes of Bruno Guimaraes and Matheus Cunha selected from other Premier League sides, alongside Alisson.
Carlo Ancelotti is expecting Alisson to be fully fit and confirmed on Monday that the goalkeeper is going to the US, Canada and Mexico this summer. Former Manchester City shot-stopper Ederson will be his biggest competition for the number one spot.
“Praise the Lord for this convocation!” Alisson wrote on social media when the announcement of the squad was made.
“What a great honor to represent my country! A privilege, accompanied by a huge responsibility to wear this shirt! We will fight with all our might to find our dream sixth star! Let’s go together.”
The revered manager would go into detail about why he selected the 76-time Brazil international, despite his injury difficulties as of late, by stating: “Alisson is returning from injury but has been training for two weeks. He is doing normally, he is well, and I believe he will play the next game [vs Brentford].
“Even if he doesn’t play, he has the time to be 100 percent for the first game of the Cup.”
Revealing that the 33-year-old has been back in training for the past two weeks, the hope among the Anfield masses will be that Alisson is reinstated into the starting XI for the pivotal clash with Keith Andrews’ visitors, with the return of their number one keeper hopefully helping a nervy defence to get back to their best.
Alisson must start if he’s fit
The Merseyside giants are in win-or-bust territory now, ahead of the final day clash with Brentford looming on the horizon.
A win on the closing day of the season would guarantee the Reds’ spot around the exclusive Champions League table. If Alisson is deemed fit enough to start, he must be thrown in after Mamardashvili’s unconvincing showing in the West Midlands.
The 33-year-old was made for games with this much pressure in the air, with a colossal 104 Premier League clean sheets next to his name as a decorated Reds servant.
Alongside Alisson, Slot must also put his bickering with Mohamed Salah to one side, as the Egyptian will be desperately hungry to win on the final game of the season, before he leaves Liverpool for good.
Other transfer rumours suggest that Alisson could also be packing his bags this summer for Juventus, like the magical Egyptian, with a huge summer in store for the injury-prone keeper, including a World Cup to perform in.
Before then, however, he will be racing against time to start against Brentford, as Anfield potentially says farewell to their beloved number one, alongside Salah and Andy Robertson.
