Ballon d’Or 2019: Why Liverpool's Allison Becker should be a strong contender for the award
Liverpool finally closed their season on a high after defeating Tottenham Hotspur at the Champions League final. The Reds had worried over their possible trophyless season before the match, as they had lost the Premier League title to Manchester City.
Jurgen Klopp's men managed to claim a place in the Champions League final for 2 consecutive seasons and also secured a record 97 points in the Premier League. They had given everything and deserved at least a trophy for all their hard work.
Their lingering defensive problems have now become things of the past after the arrival of Fabinho, Virgil van Dijk, and Alisson Becker. The Reds conceded just 22 goals in the league this term, considerably less than last season's 38, thanks to their defenders.
However, van Dijk seems to have earned all the spotlight for Liverpool's defensive achievements. The Dutchman might have offered serious competition for Lionel Messi in the Ballon d'Or race, but Alisson also has many reasons to claim the award.
Here, we will discover why:
#1 Flawless goalkeeping
The Brazilian goalkeeper has been reliable all season and became the unsung hero for Liverpool despite van Dijk's impressive form. He recorded outstanding 21 clean sheets in the Premier League alone, winning the Golden Glove award deservedly.
He also racked up 76 saves from 38 league appearances, considerably better than Ederson Morales' 58 saves in the same number of games. An agile goalkeeper with lightning-quick reflexes, Alisson has been excellent in saving close range shots as well as long shots.
His passing accuracy also stood an impressive 79.8 percent in all competitions. Virtually, he has no weaknesses and has done his goalkeeping job splendidly for Liverpool. For now, no clubs could have asked for a better goalkeeper than the 26-year-old.