Gary Neville has pinpointed the one major area in which Liverpool have improved the most and outlined themselves as genuine Premier League title contenders.
In 16 games so far this season, the Reds have conceded just six goals – the fewest of any side after that many number of matches in the Premier League era.
Speaking to Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football, the pundit and former Manchester United star, was asked if he was impressed by the stat.
Neville said: “It’s been incredible – I’m really impressed. It’s been coming now for 12 months – but it’s not just [Virgil] van Dijk, like most people say.
“The Liverpool of last season, you looked at them and thought, ‘they score goals, they concede goals and they’re exciting to watch’.
“Even if you go back two years – their back five of Simon Mignolet, Nathaniel Clyne, Dejan Lovren, Joel Matip and James Milner as an emergency left-back – and you asked the question: Is that a defence that can win you the title?
“[In reference to the goalkeeper] Mignolet was never a bad goalkeeper, but was he a title-winning keeper? When [Manchester United] have had the riches of [Peter] Schmeichel and [Edwin] van der Sar…
“Then commentators ask ‘he could do nothing about that’ when a goal goes in (against Mignolet)…but no, the greatest keepers in the world, they save them.
“Alisson has saved Liverpool on numerous occasion this season; earned them big points. Great goalkeepers win you point after point after point after point. You don’t always notice it. So is Van Dijk the biggest impact on that team? No it’s not.
“Look at the stats: 86% save ratio – the highest in the league. Last season it was 64% (ranked 19th). Yes, the two young lads alongside Van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Joe Gomez are fantastic – and I love watching them play – but for me it’s the goalkeeper [Alisson] who has made all the difference and makes them genuine contenders.
“Jurgen Klopp has corrected their errors and brought order to the team, which to be honest, is painful!”
