Speaking to the press ahead of Liverpool’s home Premier League match against Crystal Palace, head coach Arne Slot was asked to comment on third-choice Freddie Woodman’s readiness for the start following his success against Everton:
For a reason, we’ve signed an experienced third goalkeeper. Usually you don’t need him that much but there could be situations if one is injured and the other one gets a suspension – that usually makes more sense than expecting two goalkeepers to be injured. Then it’s needed
to have a third goalkeeper with experience and that’s why we were happy that we could pick him up on a free transfer this summer, apart from him being a good goalkeeper – which he’s shown.
I think when he was young he won the Euros with the U17s and I think with the U20s he won the World Cup. Then he made himself a career at Newcastle, at Preston North End and has the experience to play even at Premier League but definitely at Championship level. And apart from that, he’s a very good man and he’s very liked in the dressing room, and I think that’s also a role that’s important for the third goalkeeper if he’s not playing. If he’s playing, it’s more important that he has a good performance than that his teammates like him. And that’s why I think he’s ready for it, but it will always be helpful if the fans are there to support him tomorrow.
Given the injuries to his first- and second-choice goalkeepers, Slot was also asked to comment on young Hungarian goalkeeper Ármin Pécsi’s potential readiness should he be called upon:
He was already on the bench last week. Because we were short on players, we added Armin to the bench as well because he was doing the warm-up so there was a spot available so he could be the man. Of course he’s on the bench tomorrow. We think we signed a very talented goalkeeper and he already played minutes at the highest level, I think in Hungary, wasn’t it? So now he’s played multiple games with the U21s and, of course, he gets better and better because if you are every day on the pitch doing finishing drills with the attackers we are having, you are becoming a better goalkeeper. Still very young, still progress to be made, but that’s completely normal. But we think we’ve signed a very talented and good goalkeeper that eventually could definitely play for us.
Slot was realistic about the young player’s “level” when asked, but did not sell the goalkeeper short:
If you ask me, do I see him at the level of Alisson? My answer is no, but that’s not criticism at all. Let’s touch wood, but it would fit this season completely if something would happen with Freddie tomorrow, then if Armin then comes in, I’m completely comfortable. He’s very comfortable on the ball, has a very good instinct and he reads the game really well, so he knows where the shot would go to and that I like a lot. If he needs to come on, if Alisson is not ready to play tomorrow and Freddie needs to start and something might happen, I’m completely comfortable bringing him in.
To echo Slot, it would be very Liverpool 2025/26 should the third-choice goalkeeper also find himself injured or unable to play, so it’s good to hear of Pésci’s upsides.
