Michael Owen urges Jurgen Klopp to ‘stick by’ Liverpool No 1 Alisson ‘through thick and thin’ to ‘build his confidence back up’ after goalkeeper’s third howler in two games at Leicester
- Alisson collided with Ozan Kabak while trying to intercept a Leicester City pass
- Liverpool went on to lose the game 3-1 and suffer their third consecutive defeat
- Michael Owen believes Jurgen Klopp must back Alisson ‘through thick and thin’
- Owen says the Liverpool manager should ‘build Alisson’s confidence back up’
Michael Owen believes Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp must back Alisson ‘through thick and thin’ after he produced another costly mistake in their 3-1 defeat to Leicester.
Liverpool were leading the game 1-0 before Alisson collided with Ozan Kabak to allow Jamie Vardy to pounce and turn the game on its head. Following the goalkeeper’s initial mistake, Leicester went on to score two more goals in the space of just seven minutes.
Owen believes it is Klopp’s responsibility to ‘build Alisson’s confidence back up’ following his performances against Leicester and Manchester City.
Michael Owen believes Jurgen Klopp must back his goalkeeper Alisson ‘through thick and thin’
Owen told Premier League Productions: ‘He’s [Alisson] one of the most amazing goalkeepers in the world, stick by him, build his confidence back up.
‘Tell him even through thick and think you’re our No.1 because you’ll get paid back in spades in the future.’
While Ian Wright added: ‘We’ve catalogued all the unbelievable things he’s done so you’re not going to, in three games, with the mistakes he’s made, start thinking about new goalkeepers or dropping him.
Owen (above) believes it is Klopp’s responsibility to ‘build Alisson’s confidence back up’
Alisson collided with his defender Ozan Kabak while trying to intercept a Leicester City pass
‘He’s been so good that we haven’t seen him do this so what we’re going to see now is him continue to play and see if he continues to make these rash decisions or go back to being as brilliant and consistent as he was.
‘If I was being a manager as far as I’m concerned I’d tell him, ‘You’re going through one of those spells’ and I’d stick with him. He’ll get through it because he’s a brilliant keeper.’
Liverpool’s latest result marks their fourth defeat in their last six league games – collecting just nine points out of a possible 30, leaving their title defence in tatters.
Now they face a fight to finish in the top four with Chelsea and West Ham both able to overtake them if they win their games in hand on Monday night.