It will be some story if Andy Lonergan lines up in goal for Liverpool in the Premier League on Saturday.
Just last season, the 35-year-old served as Middlesbrough's third choice goalkeeper in the Championship. He was even shipped out on loan to League One side Rochdale as Tony Pulis preferred Darren Randolph and Dimi Konstantopolous.
He found himself as a free agent in the summer and with Liverpool suffering from a goalkeeping crisis, Jurgen Klopp invited him to travel to the USA for Liverpool's pre-season tour.
He made such an impression that he was handed a short-term deal. Nonetheless, the Reds would not have envisaged No 1 goalkeeper Alisson picking up a calf injury on the opening day of the Premier League season.
They certainly would not have foreseen that Adrian, the back-up keeper they signed only last week to replace Simon Mignolet (who joined Club Brugge), would suffer a freak ankle injury from a fan running on to the pitch to celebrate their UEFA Super Cup success on Wednesday night.
Poland under-21 international goalkeeper Kamil Grabara is on loan at Huddersfield and young goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher has only just returned to fitness.
As a result, Lonergan could well make an unexpected Premier League debut for the European champions when they take on Southampton at St Mary's tomorrow.
A fuming Klopp told the press on Friday: "I don't understand why in the world of social media when we are all together, a supporter jumped over something and kicked [Adrian's] ankle. It is swollen but we have to see.
"Apart from that it was a brilliant night for him.
"We need to think about Saturday to find a way to win the game.
“Andy Lonergan is in training with Kelleher and we have them if we have to make a decision.
“Adrian was a week before, Lonergan has trained with us. Kelleher has potential but is not 100% yet. We will see.”
But things could have been a lot different for the Preston-born goalkeeper. In 2018, he almost joined Sunderland.
New manager Chris Coleman was desperate to sign a new goalkeeper in the January transfer window with the Black Cats battling against relegation from the Championship.
The former Wales boss was not convinced by either Jason Steele or Robbin Ruiter and had identified Lonergan, who played for Leeds at the time, as a potential alternative.
The Black Cats made an approach for Lonergan but the move fell through at the eleventh hour after the two clubs failed to reach an agreement.
Leeds were reluctant to let Lonergan leave and Sunderland turned to Cardiff City's Lee Camp instead.
Speaking about how the move to Sunderland broke down, Lonergan told BBC Radio Leeds: “I think it sort of got ahead of itself in the press. I remember Thomas Christiansen saying I was going. It wasn’t really like that at all.
“When someone wants to talk to you, they contact the club, and you’ve got to hear them out.
“But in the end, I am happy where I am. I love it at Leeds. That was the main thing. Do I want to move and maybe not be as happy as I am now, regardless of playing or not.
“I’m happy with the decision I made and I am delighted to still be here.”
