Liverpool handed major injury boost as star man returns to matchday squad for Champions League trip to Girona

Goalkeeper Alisson Becker is finally fit enough to return to Liverpool on Tuesday evening after missing 11 games through injury, but boss Arne Slot has told his No.1 he has big shoes to fill in place of back-up keeper Caoimhin Kelleher.

The Brazilian has been out for two months with a hamstring injury, having also missed a significant part of last season with the same problem. Kelleher has made an excellent substitution despite making a rare mistake in the 3-3 draw against Newcastle last week.

Slot has always insisted Alisson, 32, is his main man between the sticks, despite Kelleher’s red-hot form. But the Reds head coach says it will be difficult for Alisson to outperform the Irish shot-stopper when he returns.

“I think it speaks for itself when you can play with Alisson – who has been so excellent for this club and the Brazilian national team for so many years – then it’s nice to have him,” Slot said. ‘But if you look at how his replacement did, it is difficult to do better.

‘Caoimh also did so well, so we can say that we have two very good goalkeepers. Alisson has been excellent for this club for so many years that we hope he will do the same (when he returns).”

Liverpool will have to use their selection resources in the coming weeks with this trip to the Catalan city of Girona, about an hour north of Barcelona, ​​marking the first of six this side of the New Year in a packed festive schedule.

He is returning from a long-term injury and has missed eleven games so far this season

Liverpool boss Arne Slot will be boosted ahead of the match by Alisson’s return to fitness

Joe Gomez and Jarell Quansah, who had just one league start before December, will be asked to go to the pit several times, along with fellow defenders Ibrahima Konate, Conor Bradley and Kostas Tsimikas who are all unlikely to feature before Christmas.

There may also be minutes for Japanese midfielder Wataru Endo this week, as Alexis Mac Allister is suspended from the Champions League and Premier League due to an accumulation of yellow cards in both competitions.

Federico Chiesa remained ill on Merseyside, while Diogo Jota trained on Monday but is not yet fit to play. Youngsters James McConnell and James Norris were part of Liverpool’s 19-strong touring party from John Lennon Airport.

Girona, part of the City Football Group and sister club of Manchester City, are in the Champions League for the first time after finishing third in LaLiga last year and Slot added: ‘It’s really special what they’ve done here.

‘They almost became the Leicester City of Spain and were fighting for the league title with this budget… probably shows how good a manager Michel is. I watched it a lot last season.’

Michel, who had been tipped as a potential successor to Pep Guardiola at City, said: ‘Liverpool dominates all concepts of the game. Their game is very dynamic, they change structure at any time and they have players with top intensity and pressure.

‘At Rayo (Vallecano, his former club) I used to sing ‘next year Rayo-Liverpool’ (when they were in Europe) and it was a dream. After qualifying for the Champions League, they were an opponent I wanted. Playing at Anfield or here is the same, it’s a dream for everyone.’

Probably Liverpool XI: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Jones; Salah, Szoboszlai, Diaz; Nunez.