Caoimhín Kelleher keeps his cool to justify Jürgen Klopp’s faith

When Trent Alexander-Arnold and Harvey Elliott converted their penalties in Liverpool’s flawless shootout they turned and pointed at a 23-year-old goalkeeper making the 17th start of his senior club career, and who just happened to be the calmest person inside Wembley. They shared the intuition that Jürgen Klopp had when deciding it would be Caoimhín Kelleher, not Alisson, standing in Liverpool’s goal for the Carabao Cup final.

“If it works out, then it’s all about Caoimhín. If it doesn’t work out, then it’s all about me.” The Liverpool manager was correct, although he could never have predicted it would work out with Kelleher scoring the 11th and final penalty before the supposed spot-kick expert Kepa Arrizabalaga blazed Chelsea’s 11th attempt high into the Wembley sky. Kelleher was a prolific goalscorer for Ringmahon Rangers in Cork before trying his hands at goalkeeper aged 13. He has evidently not forgotten the goalscoring art.

Related: Liverpool win Carabao Cup final after beating Chelsea in penalty shootout

If it was a risk selecting the inexperienced Republic of Ireland international over a goalkeeper that Klopp has labelled the best in the world, it never showed. Kelleher, a most laid-back character, made a crucial save from Romelu Lukaku at the end of normal time and held his nerve throughout. The first of what Liverpool hope will be four trophies this season was a true collective effort, with 29 players used in the run to the final including all three senior goalkeepers. Klopp wanted Kelleher to taste the high life not only as a reward for his impressive displays throughout the competition but to ensure his head his not turned by offers to play more regularly elsewhere. The final was therefore a resounding