No wonder Liverpool regard the Carabao Cup as Caoimhin Kelleher’s competition.
Having proven the match-winner in the final against Chelsea at Wembley in May, the goalkeeper was at it again here to help Jurgen Klopp’s side successfully begin their defence of the trophy.
Until two routine saves in the last 10 minutes, it was difficult to recall Kelleher touching the ball with his hands, such was Derby County’s determination to sit deep and play for a penalty shoot-out.
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It worked, giving the League One side what appeared a 50-50 chance of progression, aided by the spot kicks being taken in front of the mobile-waving 5,600-strong away support.
But with Kelleher between the sticks, those odds become stacked in Liverpool’s favour. And despite young Stefan Bajcetic having his penalty saved and Roberto Firmino ballooning over, the Reds could still rely on their Irish shot-stopper to get the job done.
Kelleher saved brilliantly from Conor Hourihane, Craig Forsyth and, most acrobatically, on-loan Everton forward Lewis Dobbin to give Harvey Elliott the opportunity to stroke home the winner and ensure the holders will return after the World Cup with a last 16 tie the week before Christmas.
Small wonder Elliott immediately made a beeline for the goalkeeper, who has now saved six times in penalty shoot-outs – a club record – after also making stops against Arsenal in 2019 and, last season, Leicester City and Chelsea.
After a difficult campaign in which he spent several months on the sidelines, this was a welcome reminder of Kelleher’s attributes, one of the most talented number two goalkeepers in the Premier League. Alisson Becker, though, happens to be the best number one.
In truth, Kelleher's shoot-out intervention was perhaps deserved reward for a completely rotated Liverpool line-up that was the fourth youngest starting XI in their history.
Boasting five full debutants, Klopp’s side dominated possession but were thwarted by Derby’s resolve, with the crowd irked by the blatant timewasting from Kelleher’s opposite number Joe Wildsmith. Also for the Rams custodian, it was, like his bizarrely unspotted wander off his line to save from Bajcetic in the shoot-out, to no avail.
It remains a strange quirk that Liverpool still haven’t won a League Cup game at Anfield inside 90 minutes since 2016. But with Kelleher in goal, a penalty shoot-out is becoming almost as good as a regulation triumph. The Caoimhin Cup, anyone?
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