Stephen Warnock told BBC Radio 5 Live that Jurgen Klopp dropping Adrian to the bench on Tuesday night proves that he has ‘a lack of confidence’ in the Liverpool goalkeeper.
With Alisson Becker being Liverpool’s undisputed number one, many saw Adrian, albeit he has had his tough games, as the club’s number two.
Well, that wasn’t the case for Liverpool’s Champions League tie against Ajax on Tuesday when academy product, Caoimhin Kelleher, started and then starred on the Anfield stage.
It now leaves Adrian in an interesting position and it begs the question as to where he stands in the goalkeeping pecking order.
“When you think Adrian has been on the bench recently,” said Warnock. “Is it that he feels he’s just at that level and he [Kelleher] has been performing better in training? He has more trust.
“But then that doesn’t make sense for not having him on the bench for Brighton, at least. It is a strange decision.
“Whether that’s the thought behind it [playing Kelleher v Ajax and then Adrian v Wolves]. I find it very strange. But, for me, it says a lack of confidence in Adrian.”
What doesn’t help Adrian’s cause is that he hasn’t been pulling up trees when he has donned the gloves in place of Alisson.
So, with Kelleher coming in and producing the performances he put in then it must drain the confidence of Liverpool’s 2019 summer signing.
But equally, Klopp’s decision-making in recent weeks has been outstanding.
From playing Rhys Williams in the Champions League and then Nat Phillips in the Premier League to putting Roberto Firmino on the bench when Diogo Jota hit a hat-trick in Europe and then playing all four of his attackers against Manchester City.
The German has been faultless during these testing times with injury after injury.
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