Liverpool Comment: Why Pepe Reina Is Up There With The World's Best

Not to Javier Mascherano, whose midfield energy and deflected opening goal had proved so important to the Reds' cause. Nor to Dirk Kuyt, who had wrapped up the win late on. Not even to the Liverpool supporters, who had braved the driving rain to lend their vocal support in a time of great need.

Instead, Carragher ran straight to his goalkeeper, Pepe Reina. And everyone understood.

It was, after all, the heroics of the Spaniard which had preserved Liverpool's slender lead throughout a testing afternoon on Merseyside, and Carragher & Co had Reina to thank for earning them their clean-sheet bonus.

After the match, Reds boss Rafael Benitez ventured the opinion that Reina was "one of the best in the world". Since then, both Kuyt and Glen Johnson have echoed that opinion, with Johnson claiming that his double save from Tim Cahill and Marouane Fellaini on Sunday has "turned our season around". Few will disagree.

Reina arrived at Anfield from Villarreal in the summer of 2005, having earned his spurs as a rare Madridista in the Barcelona ranks. He made just 30 senior appearances for Barca - including two against Liverpool during the Reds' run to UEFA Cup success in 2001 - before moving on to the provinces with Villarreal.

There, he established himself as one of the most promising keepers in Europe. His penalty saving record became the stuff of legends - he saved seven of nine kicks faced during his final season at El Madrigal - and Liverpool splashed out £6 million to secure his services. At the end of his first season he saved two more spot-kicks to seal the Reds' seventh FA Cup triumph.

Thumbs up | Reina has matured into a great keeper

Considering the criticism often levelled at Benitez's transfer record, Reina's capture, at £6m, has to be recognised as one of the bargains of the decade surely. From the promising, occasionally-erratic, youngster who arrived at Anfield in 2005, he has developed into a commanding, ultra-consistent leader in the Reds' goal.

Last season was the first in which he did not collect the Premier League's "Golden Glove" award for most clean sheets (and he only lost out to Petr Cech narrowly). He already holds the Liverpool record for most consecutive clean-sheets (eight), and fewest goals conceded in his first 50 games (29). And he is still improving.

Of course there are hiccups - Reina was devastated at one error away to Chelsea in the Champions League last season - but they are few and far between. Excellence outweighs eccentricity these days where the Spaniard is concerned.

Credit must go to Benitez, and his goalkeeping coach Xavi Valero, for developing the 27-year-old's obvious physical gifts, and marrying them to immaculate technique. Reina is known for his committed and professional attitude to training at Melwood, and the results are plain to see.

His perfect positioning means he rarely has to make a full-length save, yet his reflexes ensure that, if needed, he has the capacity to do so. One stop, from Stoke's Rory Delap, this season slipped under the radar of most, but deserves mentioning alongside the Cahill/Fellaini double-effort as evidence of Reina's brilliance.

And considering the troubles endured by Liverpool, particularly in defence, this season, it is commendable that their goalkeeper has managed to maintain a stunningly consistent level of performance. The constantly-rotating cast of defenders ahead of him may be finding life tough, but the rock behind them is in the form of his life.

Fortunately for Liverpool, it appears that Reina is happy to commit his long-term future to the club. Speaking last month, he said: "My aim is to get a new contract in the future, and I want to be here for many years. Apparently the club wants the same."

A new, lucrative, five-year contract is rumoured to be in the offing, and Liverpool supporters would no doubt be thrilled to secure his services for the foreseeable future.

And if he carries on like this, by then he may just be considered the best around.

Neil Jones, Goal.com UK