Liverpool players looked surprised by one major difference between Mamardashvili and Alisson yesterday - opinion
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Liverpool goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili enjoyed a promising Premier League debut on Saturday despite defeat at Chelsea.The Georgian has had to be patient in his wait to play a league fixture for the Reds, but injury to Alisson Becker inevitably gave him his chance.Alisson was injured around a similar period last season, with then number two Caoimhin Kelleher ultimately making 10 Premier League appearances.While Liverpool fans will hope Alisson can avoid a similar fate this season, Mamardashvili showed that he can step up with a good display at Stamford Bridge.Despite the positives, though, there was one little wrinkle about the 25-year-old’s maiden outing, and it had nothing to do with Mamardashvili himself.Instead, the Liverpool defenders and midfielders showed that they were perhaps surprised by one major difference between their first choice and back-up goalkeepers.Photo by James Gill – Danehouse/Getty ImagesMamardashvili did not deserve to be on the losing side at Stamford Bridge. Unfortunately, the same could not be said for some of his teammates.Specifically, Liverpool’s defence was incredibly haphazard, no matter who was playing where.READ MORE: Giorgi Mamardashvili reacts to heartbreak on Premier League debut as Liverpool lose at ChelseaSurprisingly, Virgil van Dijk did not have his best game ever, and it was the captain who was first at fault for not recognising the difference between Mamardashvili and Alisson.The game was just minutes old when Van Dijk sent a heavy back pass towards the goalkeeper’s right foot.
Mamardashvili dealt with it well, but it was not long before his centre-back sent another pass to his wrong foot.Van Dijk was not the only one to make this mistake, but Liverpool players need to learn very quickly that, unlike Alisson, Mamardashvili is left-footed.This should not have been a surprise to the outfield players. They have trained with Mamardashvili enough – and played with him in pre-season – to know his preference.Nevertheless, Van Dijk was at it again just before Moises Caicedo’s brilliant opener.
His pass back was awkward for Mamardashvili on his wrong foot, and he hastily sent the ball out for a throw-in. A feature of Alisson’s play is that he is a very accomplished puncher when he feels it is necessary.“Some goalkeepers might have opted to punch that cross there,” BBC pundit Pat Nevin noted early into the match.“Mamardashvili has never looked like that kind of goalkeeper to me.