Loris Karius' exasperating pre-season has been put on hold for a week or so, as the German 'keeper has picked up a knee injury that will keep him out of tonight's friendly against Manchester United.
With Alisson Becker yet to join up with his new club, Danny Ward sold to Leicester and Simon Mignolet on his way out of the club, Liverpool don't have a senior goalkeeper available to play tonight.
This means an opportunity will fall the way of Cork-born teenager, Caoimhin Kelleher. The 19-year-old got thirty minutes of action against Man City earlier this week, and tonight he is line for a first start of this pre-season tour. Okay, it's not a proper match, but it is an occasion: 95,000 tickets have been sold for the game taking place at The Big House in Ann Arbour, Michigan. The crowd is likely to swell to beyond 100,000.
Jurgen Klopp has confirmed that Kelleher will be involved alongside fellow academy 'keeper Kamil Grabara, although hinted that the latter may start the game.
The two young boys will feature. It was nice for Caoimhin the other night, and Kamil will have an opportunity as well so it’s good.
It’s a big opportunity for them. One hundred thousand people will be more than they’ve played in front of altogether so far, I think! It’s a big difference.
I haven’t made a decision on who will start, but maybe Kamil because Caoimhin played the last game.
Kelleher only became a goalkeeper at 14 but has shone since, joining Liverpool from Ringmahon Rangers.
At the other end of the spectrum, veteran Borussia Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller is having his testimonial game at the Westfalanstadion on September 7th, with Jurgen Klopp set to be involved in a playing capacity. In a video filmed ahead of Liverpool's friendly with Dortmund on Sunday last, Klopp told the camera that "Anyone who wants to see Klopp and Weidenfeller in action together will have to get a move on because we're not the youngest anymore. It's going to be a 'grandios' testimonial".
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