After Arsenal dropped points on Saturday, with a 1–1 draw against Everton on the road at Goodison Park, Liverpool followed suit with a 3–2 defeat to Fulham on Sunday afternoon – and it could’ve punctuated the start of the end for one player in particular.
Arne Slot’s men had the chance to extend their lead at the summit of the table to 14 points with a win in west London. Marco Silva’s men had other ideas as Fulham trio Ryan Sessegnon, Alex Iwobi and Rodrigo Muniz all got on the scoresheet.
While the likes of Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk both had tricky afternoons, a lot of the post-match discussion has centred around Caoimhin Kelleher’s position at the club, especially with Giorgi Mamardashvili’s arrival lurking in the background.
Accruing, in the absence of Alisson Becker, his 20 appearances of the campaign across all competitions, the typically reliable glove bearer endured an error-ridden performance and all fingers are pointing towards a departure in the summer transfer window.
Kelleher Endures Difficult Afternoon in West London
Make no mistake about it: Alisson – widely recognised as one of the greatest goalkeepers in Premier League history – remains the primary choice for Slot in between the sticks, but there is plenty of contention over who his back-up should be.
Kelleher, in the Brazilian’s absence after he failed concussion protocols, stood between the posts as Liverpool looked to gain momentum following Arsenal’s loss the day before – but the shot stopper played a big part in their defeat.
Ahead of Liverpool’s trip to the capital, Kelleher played the entirety of his side’s 1–0 win over Everton – but, before that, he was typically utilised in cup games, highlighting his status among Slot’s collection of goalkeepers.
But starting him against Fulham, albeit forced upon Slot, proved to be chastening as he was suspect for a couple of Fulham’s goals. For Iwobi’s strike in the 32nd minute, Kelleher was wrong-footed by a deflection but, in truth, his position was poor.
For Fulham’s third – and final – goal of the encounter, Muniz slotted one through his legs after the Brazilian bullied Van Dijk off the ball, which elicited a collective sigh of dismay as Kelleher failed to produce what could have been a simple save.
Statistically, across his 90-minute display, Cork-born Kelleher made just three saves – one of which was a shot from inside the 18-yard box – for the champions elect as they faced a barrage of efforts from the west Londoners in the first half.
Elsewhere, he also completed one high claim and the same number of punches and clearances. Only three of his attempted 13 long balls proved that he also felt the nerves of needing to win – as did his passing accuracy rate of 76% (31/41). The most damning finding of all was that he conceded 1.22 more goals than he statistically should have.
His poor display comes on the back of Mamardashvili stepping up to the plate for his current employers, Valencia, against Real Madrid. There have been concerns over Georgia’s Euro 2024 star’s form, but the Spanish media waxed lyrical about the youngster following his performance during their triumph over Los Blancos.
Marmadashvili finding form, combined with Kelleher’s dip, paints a very grim picture for the latter – and leaving in the summer would be the best option for all parties. Usually reliable, he’d been able to establish himself as No.1 elsewhere.
Anfield Faithful Yearn for Alisson’s Return
It would be troubling to pick out a single Liverpool player who covered themselves in glory at Craven Cottage. There was a lack of semblance between the inevitable title winners – but Kelleher has experienced his fair share of slack from the Anfield faithful.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), there has been a collection of supporters who deemed the Irishman’s performance simply not at the level of a goalkeeper on the Merseysiders’ books, irrespective of whether they are the starter or back-up.
“Have Liverpool’s players all been on the lash all weekend?” one wrote before adding: “The front three barely touched it. Midfield can’t keep the ball. Back four all over the place. Caoimhin Kelleher having a day to forget. Awful all round.”
“Kelleher never saves the easiest shots ever.” a second supporter said , all while one yearned for Alisson’s return. “Might be a good thing we’re selling Kelleher. I usually rate him but need Alisson back before his stock reduces.”
“Kelleher is likeable enough and has done well for the most part over the years when he stepped in, but it is no real surprise that Liverpool saw the need for another option when thinking about replacing Alisson long term.”
On a very similar note, another fan insisted that they’re glad that Kelleher – commonly admired as one of the greatest back-up stoppers in world football – is moving onto pastures new upon the conclusion of the 2024/25 campaign. Simply put, they wrote: “I’m glad Kelleher leaves in the summer.”
As of March 2025, there was plenty of excitement over the 26-year-old’s potential availability. Bournemouth have set their sights on winning the tug-of-war for his signature, while promotion hopefuls Leeds United are also among his would-be buyers.
