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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
Kathryn Batte

Adrian on his incredible save for Liverpool and Napoli's controversial penalty

Liverpool goalkeeper Adrian marked his Champions League debut with an outstanding save but was unable to prevent defeat against Napoli in the Reds' opening group game.

The shot-stopper has been Liverpool's first choice since Alisson's injury and made one of the saves of the season when he somehow kept out an effort from Dries Mertens.

The Spaniard was already diving as the ball was heading towards the top corner but managed to lift his arm up while hanging in the air to tip the effort over the cross bar.

The save was worthy of a clean sheet but an 82nd minute penalty from Mertens and a stoppage time goal from Fernando Llorente undid the keeper's efforts.

Adrian's performance was one of the positives for Jurgen Klopp's side but the goalkeeper said he could not take any satisfaction from his heroics.

"It is my job as a goalkeeper to try and save all the balls as much as I can and to try to help the team," he told Liverpoolfc.com.

"I gave my best, I tried hard. But at the end of the day we lost 2-0, so I can't be happy.

"We knew it was going to be a hard game for us, like last season was.

"At the end of the game it was small details; the penalty switched the game for them totally and then we lost a bit of shape and conceded the second one."

Adrian described his stunning save as instinctive.

"I was trying to cover as much of the goal," he said.

"It was clear he was going to strike with the first touch. I jumped, watching the ball and tried to touch it with any part of my body, in the end I touched it with my right hand."

The Reds will be looking to bounce back on Sunday as they travel to Chelsea and Adrian said their attention is now on keeping their unbeaten Premier League record going.

He said: "We are on a good run, we have won 14 games in a row.

"We have to switch our minds now, we have a difficult game against Chelsea away on Sunday. We have to learn from the mistakes today and then turn the page."

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