Luis Diaz and two other Liverpool players have received plaudits following the club’s penalty shoot-out victory over Chelsea in the Carabao Cup final.
Caoimhin Kelleher rewarded Jurgen Klopp’s decision to stick with him ahead of Alisson for the Wembley showdown by scoring the decisive penalty before opposite goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga fired his spot kick over the crossbar.
Virgil van Dijk was named the official man of the match for his resolute defending across the 120 minutes while Luis Diaz continued his fine start to life for the Reds.
Garth Crooks named the three Liverpool players in his Team of the Week and believes Kelleher deserves added praise for his display.
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“I must say, whenever I've seen Caoimhin Kelleher play in goal for Liverpool he looks totally unflappable,” he told BBC Sport .
“He goes about his job as if saving goals is the least important thing on his mind and yet I can't ever remember seeing the Republic of Ireland international let Liverpool down.
“The Carabao Cup final is like any final, full of tension and anxiety, but for Kelleher it seemed like a training session.
“ I'm sure it wasn't but throughout this brilliant football match Kelleher didn't only keep his nerve but actually won Liverpool the match.
“I don't think I have ever seen anything quite like it. A goalkeeper taking the final penalty in a shootout and burying it so comprehensively in the back of the net must have scared the living daylights out of Kepa Arrizabalaga because he missed his.”
Though Crooks admitted he believes there should be a better way to decide finals than penalty shoot-outs, he commended Van Dijk for his role in keeping the game goalless.
On the centre-back, Crooks said: “Mr Dependable was everywhere in the EFL Cup final against Chelsea. He had to be as this was a proper game of football played by grown-ups.”
Further up the pitch, Diaz dazzled onlookers at Wembley as he continued his seamless start to life at Liverpool, picking up his first trophy in England just a month after joining the club.
Gary Lineker described the winger as a “real talent” while Alan Shearer also labelled the 25-year-old “very good” during the game - and Crooks was no exception.
“From the moment I clapped eyes on this player in a Liverpool shirt I thought they've only gone and done it again - they've bought another red arrow,” Crooks continued.
“A player who is quick, a team player, can score goals and fit in with the current regime and, if need be take over from the outgoing ones.
“The Colombia international looked fabulous against Chelsea.”
