In recent weeks, Liverpool have suffered the ignominity of having to endure some disappointing results, with keeper Alisson Becker sidelined due to a series of recurring hamstring injuries.
Over the course of the season, the veteran Brazilian shot-stopper has been sidelined three times, the first coming in October 2025, the second two months later, and then in March 2026.
Liverpool's stability has been significantly impacted during his absence. When fit and starting in goal, Alisson's elite shot-stopping anchoring Arne Slot’s defense has allowed the Reds to maintain a steady, highly competitive win percentage of roughly 66 per cent across all competitions.
Conversely, during his lengthy absences, where summer signing Giorgi Mamardashvili has often filled in the team has suffered from a heavy defensive collapse.
The Reds' win rate plummets to just around 51 per cent when Alisson is unavailable, as evidenced by a severe mid-season crisis that included 10 total losses without their number one keeper.
This begs the question: Is Alisson Liverpool’s most important player? And why would they consider selling him back to a Serie A outfit? Striver.Football breaks down everything in detail.
Alisson the Mentor and Leader
When Liverpool beat Crystal Palace 3-1 at Anfield in April, the Brazilian made a direct beeline for third-choice goalkeeper Freddie Woodman, wrapping his arms around the former England under-21 international like a proud father.
Woodman had just made a crucial save to deny France international Jean-Philippe Mateta from close range after a brilliant counter attack by Crystal Palace.
Despite watching from the touchline during a frustrating six-week layoff with a hamstring injury, Alisson’s immediate instinct was to champion his deputy.
This was proof that despite being the superior keeper at the club, he was willing to mentor his younger peers in the interests of putting the club first. And that portrayed clear leadership and his importance to the side even when not playing.
Slot, who is overseeing a period of transition for the club, will be losing some crucial experienced heads in the dressing room, namely Andy Robertson and Mo Salah this summer. He cannot afford to let Alisson leave just yet.
By the start of next season, only Virgil van Dijk and Alisson will remain from that veteran core. Losing both Salah's goals and Robertson's tenacity is a massive blow; losing Alisson’s dressing room command at the same time would completely destabilise Slot's ongoing transition.
How Alisson’s Absence Has Hurt Liverpool on the Pitch
Alisson’s many injuries this year have also hit the club hard on the pitch. After sitting out just 17 league fixtures across his first five combined seasons on Merseyside, the shot-stopper has missed 32 matches over the last three campaigns alone, suffering three separate hamstring tears in the past 18 months.
While Liverpool's medical staff works tirelessly to get to the root of this muscular fragility, his absence leaves a void that extends far beyond technical execution.
Although Mamardashvili has been earmarked as the long-term successor to the former Roma goalkeeper, he has struggled to replicate the same kind of influence.
The 25-year-old Georgian international was secured from Valencia in a £29 million deal to eventually inherit the number one shirt, but his debut season on Merseyside has exposed the immense tactical leap required to play in a high-pressing, possession-based system.
While Mamardashvili possesses exceptional raw reflexes, advanced data highlights a substantial gulf in overall performance and technical maturity when compared to the master.
According to advanced metrics from one-versus-one, Alisson is simply on another level.
The Brazilian registers a dominant overall 1vs1 Index score of 52.28, whereas Mamardashvili has struggled to make an impact on the index, effectively sitting at zero.
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Why Alisson and Mamardashvili Are Completely Different Goalkeepers
This divergence is deeply rooted in their contrasting styles. Mamardashvilli is a traditional, line-bound goalkeeper who relies on pure reaction, resulting in 36 total saves but a modest 57.61 per cent save percentage across European competitions.
Alisson by contrast commands his area with unparalleled positional intelligence, yielding eight clean sheets, 65 saves and an elite 73 per cent save percentage.
Looking deeper into post-shot expected goals (PSxG +/-), Alisson has provided elite stability across 25 Premier League appearances to finish nearly at parity with his expected metrics (-0.89 PSxG +/-).
Mamardashvili on the other hand has endured a punishing introduction to English football during his 10 starts, suffering a steep statistical underperformance (-18.00 PSxG +/-)
When it comes to distribution, Alisson functions as an auxiliary playmaker from deep, completing his passes with an authoritative 84.75 per cent accuracy rate.
Mamardashvili’s distribution remains a glaring work in progress, dropping significantly to a 75 per cent passing accuracy.
Alisson calmly breaks pressing lines and is capable of pinpointing half-volleys to launch counter attacks, with his Georgian counterpart frequently forced to make rushed, direct long balls that surrender possession.
His ability to cleanly sweep off his line is also backed strongly with a flawless 100 per cent ground duels won ratio, offering a security blanket that Mamardashvili simply cannot replicate yet.
What Does the Future Hold For Alisson?
As reported by The Athletic, Fenway Sports Group recently triggered a one-year contract extension to tie Alisson to Anfield until June 2027, a strategic move designed to protect his market value amidst heavy summer speculation linking him with Luciano Spalletti's Juventus.
Slott has remained tight-lipped on the rumors, insisting Michael Edwards and sporting director Richard Hughes make decisions solely off the club's financial and sporting health. Alisson earns £250,000 per week, and could be axed as part of the clubs efforts to keep cost-effective players.
It would make sense from a financial perspective, but not a footballing one, considering his influence both on and off the pitch. If he keeps one more cleansheet, he will leapfrog the legendary Elisha Scott to fourth place on the club's all-time clean sheets list, chasing only Ray Clemence, Bruce Grobbelaar, and Pepe Reina.
If Mamardshavilli is to eventually cement his place as the number one goalkeeper, he will need a little bit more time to learn from one of the best in the business at the moment.
