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Rugby tackle bags helping Liverpool's Alisson with Premier League life

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is trying to recreate the set-piece situations new goalkeeper Alisson will face by using rugby tackle bags in training.

By Liam Blackburn
Alisson joined Liverpool from Roma

London, August 20: Alisson has been preparing for the physical nature of the Premier League by using rugby tackle bags in Liverpool's training sessions.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp is eager for Alisson, who joined from Roma for a fee that could rise to £65million, to become familiar with the challenges English football presents.

The club's goalkeeper coach John Achterberg has utilised rugby equipment during training in an attempt to recreate scenarios the Brazilian may face in the division, while there has been a specific focus on set-piece situations too.

"It is not rugby, it is goalkeeper training," Klopp explained to reporters.

"When Loris [Karius] came he did it and, of course, Alisson is doing it as well. It is normal goalkeeper training.

First game!! +3 points #AB1 #Deusnocontrole #YNWA

A post shared by Alisson Becker (@alissonbecker) on

"It makes sense to do it because the six-yard area is not a safety box for a goalkeeper.

"We have these situations in training constantly when we do set-pieces and the box is full with 22 players - maybe 22 is a bit much, but certainly 15.

"It is not that the goalkeeper has to change completely for this league. We have to help him too in situations.

"There is not just one player responsible for something – we have to have the right formation around set-pieces. It is not solely about Alisson but the whole team."

Liverpool were impressive during their 4-0 thrashing of West Ham United but Alisson did not face much from the West Ham attackers. The upcoming games for Liverpool will be different though and Klopp wants Alisson to be ready and avoid a repeat of Karius' early jitters last season.

Karius made two goalkeeping errors in Liverpool's 1-3 defeat to Real Madrid in the final of the Champions League and Alisson has been roped in to handle pressure situations better.

Story first published: Monday, August 20, 2018, 16:06 [IST]
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