Kelleher on staying mentally sharp for Liverpool as he fills in for AlissonZack Oaten

Liverpool's 2-1 triumph over Chelsea at Anfield on Sunday solidifies their hold on the top spot in the Premier League. Kelleher's standout performance demonstrates his ability to seamlessly fill in for Alisson Becker when needed.

Speaking to Liverpoolfc.com the Irishman opened up on the mental challenge being the club’s main goalkeeper, “Obviously for me it's just about being mentally really focused and trying to help the defenders in front of me as well, help them be in the right positions.

"I must say I thought we defended really well as a whole team and limited them to very few chances and I didn't have too much to do. So that was really pleasing defensively. 

“It's the most important thing probably for goalkeeping that you need to always be mentally switched on, and especially for a team like Liverpool as well when you are probably not going to have too much work to do but maybe there is that one chance that you need to be there.” 

The win against Enzo Maresca’s side was hard fought and Kelleher argued that having an in-form defence helps win games more than anything. 

“It was a big game for us. I thought the crowd were brilliant and the atmosphere was electric. We are back to the top of the table as well, which is important, and it's a big win for us. 

“The manager has been big on that. We can play nice football and obviously that's important. But when you come into these games against Chelsea where the quality is so high and it's going to be a tight game, you need to dig in and you need to make blocks, you need to challenge, you need to defend well. Because, at the end of the day, the defending wins the games, which you saw. That was pleasing to see.” 

Kelleher will have another game under his belt this week as Liverpool face Red Bull Leipzig in the Champions League. This will be yet another chance for the 25-year-old to prove his worth to manager Arne Slot and potentially audition for other clubs ahead of the summer transfer window.