‘On balance’: Carragher picks Sheffield United man over Liverpool superstar

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Sheffield United have had a superb Premier League season under Chris Wilder but should Dean Henderson really be in ahead of Alisson Becker?

Jamie Carragher has omitted Alisson Becker from his Premier League Team of the Season, choosing Sheffield United’s Dean Henderson over the Brazil number one in conversation with the Telegraph.

Is there a better goalkeeper than Alisson in world football right now?

The fact Liverpool’s £67 million superstar has kept Manchester City rival Ederson Moraes in the Brazilian national team speaks volumes about the ability and reputation of a man who looks set to add an English top-flight medal to 2019’s Champions League success.

But, as Sheffield United fans will tell you, Henderson has produced some truly world-class performances himself in the last nine months or so.

The Manchester United loanee has been a revelation in his debut Premier League campaign with a truly exceptional display in the recent 1-0 win against Norwich City underlining the argument that he should replace Jordan Pickford between the sticks for England.

And Carragher has made the bold decision to leave out Alisson in favour of the one-time Shrewsbury Town starlet.

“In a starting XI packed with the league leaders, I can imagine I have upset Liverpool supporters by failing to select Alisson Becker,” the 2005 European champion says.

“He is the best goalkeeper in the world and in normal circumstances would be straight in. But I am basing my judgement on a season in which he has only played just over half Liverpool’s games in all competitions due to injury.

“In the Premier League, Henderson has as many clean sheets as Alisson, and his save success rate is an impressive 76 per cent – just behind Liverpool’s number one.

“On balance – given Sheffield United were tipped to be in a relegation rather than top four battle – I think Henderson deserves recognition.”

With a £30 million price-tag on his head (MEN), it seems unlikely that Sheffield United will sign Henderson permanently this summer.

The 23-year-old surely deserves the chance to challenge the increasingly error-prone David de Gea for a starting place at Old Trafford sooner rather than later.