Alisson Becker was spotting the similarities when others might have cited the differences between arguably the best goalkeeper in the Premier League and perhaps the most criticised. “I went through something similar to what he is living,” he reflected. “Coming from an Italian club to England, to a big club, for a lot of money.” His own £65m fee, then a world record for a goalkeeper, is rarely mentioned these days, a product of his own excellence; he made swapping Serie A for England look easy, winning the Champions League in his first season and the Premier League in his second. Andre Onana’s £43m price, however, has been mentioned more amid his torrid start to life at Manchester United. They will be 100 yards apart on Sunday, opposites in more than just the fact it is Liverpool against Manchester United.
“Onana is, of course, a really good goalkeeper,” Alisson said. “The Champions League he played last season was amazing.” After Onana’s heroics for Inter Milan came some more harrowing times for United – from playing a pivotal part in taking his former club to the Champions League final to a culpable role in his new employers’ early exit.
