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Alisson Becker gave the go-ahead and that was all the signal Jurgen Klopp needed.
When Liverpool’s team sheet fell at 7pm on Saturday night against Sheffield United, fans were happily surprised by the presence of Brazil’s No. 1 in their goal.
After initially being predicted at the beginning of the month as absent for the next four to six weeks, Alisson was back ready to play Liverpool’s bottom line again.
At a time when the champions are faced with the possibility of a season without Virgil van Dijk, Alisson’s return was timely.
Almost instantly, his name on the team sheet calmed some nerves among a fan base that never seems to be too far from collapse mode this season.
If Van Dijk is irreplaceable at the rear, so is Alisson.
The pair have been instrumental in turning an attacking team that fights for honors into a serious one that wins them.
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So in a period where one is gone for months, getting the other back is just what Klopp needed.
“Adrian did very well, but getting Ali back is obviously a huge boost for all of us,” the Liverpool manager said after Saturday’s 2-1 win over Sheffield United.
“He was out for almost three weeks, and it feels like we have 15 games in between!”
The Liverpool manager may have been prone to hyperbole on that occasion, but Alisson’s three-week absence still saw him miss four games during a period in which there was also an international hiatus.
But after initial concerns about shoulder surgery had subsided, Alisson quickly began to get in shape.
A call to Brazil’s squad on Friday for their November games may have indicated a readiness to return to their club, before news of the team broke Saturday night.
After stepping up his comeback last weekend, the Melwood staff were excited about his ability to dive in and drop into training without shoulder pain.
Conversations with the medical team, which have become commonplace, indicated that Alisson would soon be in line to significantly bolster Liverpool’s defense.
“I was really happy when he gave the green light and said ‘yeah I’m ready’ because it was his decision,” Klopp said.
“I can’t decide for him if he feels pain when he bounces off the ground or whatever.
“It was his decision and he said he was fine.”
One suspects that soon it will be Klopp who will give Alisson the go-ahead.
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