Caoimhín Kelleher steps up to take Liverpool chance with both hands

Sunday will be a momentous occasion for Caoimhín Kelleher because at the age of 25 he will make his 12th Premier League appearance for Liverpool when Manchester City visit in a vital clash in the title race, surpassing his 11 international caps for the Republic of Ireland.

Being a second-choice goalkeeper can be a curious business, training all week in the full knowledge that whatever tactical tweaks can be made to a team, the manager is unlikely to select two between the posts, nor do your competitors often require rest and rotation.

For most professional footballers 25 is when a player starts to hit their peak but for Kelleher things are finally starting to get going at Anfield.

Patience and mentality are key for an understudy, needing to wait for a chance whether it comes via injury or a lack of form. Alisson’s hamstring has allowed Kelleher to start seven straight matches, winning each one and lifting the Carabao Cup in the process.

Apart from a start at Stamford Bridge more than two years ago, Kelleher’s Premier League appearances have come against lesser lights; the magnitude of City’s visit will bring a heightened level of pressure and scrutiny.

Jürgen Klopp’s faith in Kelleher is unwavering: he called him the best second-choice goalkeeper in the world after the defeat of Chelsea at Wembley, while his captain, Virgil van Dijk, described his teammate as a “world-class goalkeeper”. Few backups are given such adulation.

There have already been 19 Liverpool appearances in all competitions this season, making it the busiest of Kelleher’s career. Having made his debut almost five years ago, it is surprising to many that in the intervening period he has not left either temporarily or permanently in order to advance.

Ther