The Brazilian goalkeeper pulled off two superb saves in the dying moments at Goodison Park to ensure Liverpool picked up a point against Everton in a goalless Merseyside Derby.
Alisson’s 11th clean sheet of the Premier League campaign puts him in joint pole position in the race for the Golden Glove as he seeks to retain the individual award he won last season.
The 27-year-old is currently level in the standings with Sheffield United’s Dean Henderson, Burnley ’s Nick Pope and his compatriot Ederson of Manchester City.
And Reds manager Klopp believes he has played a vital part in bringing the league leaders so close to winning a collective league title for the first time in 30 years.
Speaking after the 0-0 draw at the weekend, Klopp commented: “[He is] very important obviously, that’s how it is. Having a good goalie is a good thing to have, I would say, and we have one and hopefully long may it continue like this.”
Klopp added that injury is potentially the only thing that could keep Alisson from turning in consistently strong performances.
Alisson had been sidelined with a knee injury before the coronavirus pandemic began and was forced to sit out Liverpool’s defeats in the FA Cup and Champions League.
“That’s my only worry in this case, not that he will leave or whatever, just that we need to keep him fit as well. It’s just the combination; the skillset plus his mindset is a really interesting combination,” Klopp said.
“He is calm but lively, from a physical point of view [he is] on top of the game, [with] football understanding [he is] on top of the game. How I said, as a combination [that is] really, really interesting.
“He seems to be in a good shape. How I said, hopefully it stays like this. These saves he made [against Everton] were not the most difficult he ever made in his life, but they were vital, 100 per cent. But that’s his job as well so we should not make it bigger than it is, he would not want that.
“He knows that it’s his job and he did it, and that’s what he has to do until the end of his career.”
Although the league title is yet to be mathematically secured – with Liverpool still five points short –Alisson’s role in an historic season for the club has not gone unnoticed.
