One of Liverpool’s most reliable performers could make his first international appearance in almost a year over the coming days.
CBF.com, the official website of the Brazil national team, announced on Monday afternoon that Ederson has been forced to pull out of their upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Colombia and Argentina due to a foot injury he suffered in Manchester City’s 4-4 draw at Chelsea over the weekend.
Atletico Paranaense goalkeeper Bento has been drafted in to replace the 30-year-old, with Alisson Becker set to fill the void in Fernando Diniz’s starting XI.
For Liverpool fans who’ve become accustomed to the Reds’ number one producing heroic moments of brilliance, it seems quite surprising that he hasn’t actually played for his country for just over 11 months.
The most recent of Alisson’s 61 caps for Brazil came in their quarter-final penalty shootout exit to Croatia at last year’s World Cup, with the 31-year-old an unused substitute for the Selecao’s last six matches as Ederson instead got the nod (Transfermarkt).
The former Roma stopper could duly come up against two of his clubmates in crucial fixtures over the next few days, with Luis Diaz and Alexis Mac Allister hoping to do what only nine opposition players have managed in the Premier League this season – score past LFC’s first-choice ‘keeper.
Barring any complications in the meantime, the £150,000-per-week netminder (Capology) will get a long-overdue return to action for his country, and he deserves to be their go-to option not just in the current international break but also permanently.
Ederson’s misfortune is Alisson’s lucky break, although every Liverpool fan will have their fingers crossed that our number one comes through the next two Brazil games unscathed. To say that he’ll be needed against Manchester City on Saturday week would be a gross understatement.
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