Alisson Becker has just proved why Liverpool has found an upgrade on Manuel Neuer

Towards the end of Jürgen Klopp’s time as a coach in his homeland, a revolutionary goalkeeper emerged on the scene in the form of Manuel Neuer. He initially developed into a promising talent at Schalke 04, before being poached by the mighty Bayern Munich in 2011.

Klopp was in charge of Borussia Dortmund at the time, but although he had already delivered two Bundesliga titles, BVB was destined to suffer at the hands of Neuer’s rise. The German goalkeeper wasn’t overly known for his shot-stopping qualities, instead, he established himself as the ultimate sweeper.

Neuer was bold and daring as the Munich number one. He wasn’t shy when it came to taking risks, and he would regularly vacate the vicinity of his own penalty box as a means of sweeping up opposition through balls, becoming known for his mobility and technical expertise in comparison to his peers.

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Now aged 37, the Bavarian outfit still seems to be reliant on Neuer, who is injured at the moment. For obvious reasons, Bayern Munich has appeared reluctant to replace its seasoned goalkeeper, as he still seems capable of doing a job, and when he first emerged, he almost redefined what it means to be a number one.

A whole host of Neuer disciples have surfaced in the years since he first began to assume the spotlight in Germany. In the modern game, the large majority of goalkeepers are expected to govern their own defensive third to some extent, rather than simply staying in their comfort zone in the penalty box.

Plenty of goalkeepers attempt to play like Neuer, but few meet the required standard. Alisson Becker, by contrast, is a player who seems to be the heir to his throne, with Klopp now benefiting from his own version of the special Munich sweeper keeper.

Liverpool acquired the services of Alisson back in 2018 and since then, he’s painted himself as a complete performer who can effectively do it all. He is arguably the best shot-stopper on the continent, he is capable of contributing to attacking moves, and he is very much at home when expected to cover ground to sweep up through balls.

He showcased as much for Liverpool on Monday night against Leicester City. Alisson accumulated a total of seven defensive actions outside his penalty box, which is the most he’s posted in a single Premier League game this term.

In fact, the South American ranks top of England’s top-flight according to those numbers, averaging 2.2 defensive actions outside the penalty box per 90 minutes, which places him ahead of Newcastle United’s Nick Pope in second on 1.9 per 90, followed by Aston Villa’s Emiliano Martínez.

The average distance from goal of Alisson’s defensive actions this season is 19.5 yards, which captures his tendency to creep up the field and again ranks him at the summit of the division. For context, Pope again places second on 17.8 yards, followed by Chelsea’s Kepa Arrizabalaga on 17.1 yards.

It was perhaps no surprise that Alisson stood up against Leicester City in particular, as the Reds faced a certain Jamie Vardy at the King Power Stadium. No player has scored more Premier League goals against Klopp’s Liverpool than the Foxes striker, who flourishes when allowed to get on the end of through balls due to his remarkable pace.

Dean Smith’s men regularly tried to find Vardy in space, but Alisson anticipated those passes every time, sweeping up with great composure and assurance, while keeping a clean sheet in the process. He was integral to how Liverpool managed to starve Leicester City’s biggest threat of service.

Klopp once suffered at the hands of Neuer’s influence in the Bundesliga, but now, he’s got his very own version, and he might even be an upgrade.