Liverpool keeper Kelleher backed to shine against Arsenal by McCarthy

Liverpool rookie Caoimhin Kelleher has been tipped to shine against Arsenal in the Carabao Cup by his international manager Mick McCarthy.

Reds boss Jurgen Klopp is set to give Kelleher, 20, his second senior start on Wednesday at Anfield, where he will start the encounter against the Gunners.

The youngster has been around the squad for about a year but has thus far featured only against MK Dons in the previous round of the Carabao Cup, keeping a clean sheet as the European champions claimed a 2-0 victory.

He will get his first taste of the big time on his home debut in midweek and McCarthy, who has already named him in a 39-man Republic of Ireland squad to face New Zealand and Denmark next month, is looking forward to seeing how he performs.

“I've been speaking to him, messaging him, and he's quite confident, I think, that he's going to be OK,” McCarthy said. 

On the youngster’s international prospects, McCarthy was bullish about his previous track record of throwing in untested prospects and suggested that international football could reveal more about Kelleher’s potential.

“I think you'll find the last one I picked, Shay Given, did all right,” he said. “If I pick him, I have faith in him. I don't question their age, if I do pick them, they have to go out and play, and I trust them to play.

“Arsenal is a big game, that's the reason I put him in. He played in the last League Cup tie and I was aware that he might play in this one. Alan Kelly likes him but, equally, he is not playing every week.

“He's playing behind that Liverpool team as well and I'm not sure how much work he'll get. He might get a bit more work playing for us!”

Although Kelleher finds himself behind both Alisson and Adrian in the pecking order at Anfield, Reds assistant boss Pepijn Lijnders has confirmed that the plan is for the Irishman to feature for the duration of the club’s Carabao Cup run.

“In this League Cup, it is Caoimhín’s competition,” he confirmed on Tuesday. “As I said before the MK Dons game, with youth development, with these moments when they are in between the U23s and the first team, consistency is very important.

“He had a good game and he is preparing for another one.”