Alisson Becker’s time at Liverpool might be approaching its conclusion this summer, but his legacy as the finest goalkeeper in Premier League history appears firmly secured.
The Brazilian star could soon join the list of Liverpool stalwarts departing Anfield at the end of the 2025/26 season, raising the question of just how significant his impact has been on the club and English football as a whole.
As Liverpool prepare for an era of transition, with Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson already confirmed to leave, Alisson may be the next big departure. The club will be saying goodbye to multiple icons who helped shape its recent golden era.
While Mohamed Salah will be remembered as one of the Premier League’s greatest players, boasting the most Golden Boot and PFA Players’ Player of the Year awards in English football history, and Andy Robertson will stand shoulder to shoulder with Ashley Cole in the debate for the best left-back ever seen in the league, Alisson’s contribution deserves equal recognition.
Virgil van Dijk is widely credited for anchoring Liverpool’s defensive resurgence during the Jurgen Klopp era, often overshadowing the contributions of his defensive partners. At the same time, Salah’s brilliance up front and the creativity of full-backs Trent Alexander-Arnold and Robertson have dominated headlines for years.
But amidst all this star power, Alisson Becker’s role was arguably the toughest and most underappreciated. His consistency, composure, and match-saving interventions have been the backbone of Liverpool’s modern success.
This was particularly evident during the 2021/22 campaign, when Klopp’s side came within touching distance of an unprecedented quadruple. Liverpool won both domestic cups, reached the Champions League final against Real Madrid, and finished just one point behind Manchester City with 92 points in the Premier League.
That season, Van Dijk returned to his dominant best following injury, Salah collected yet another Golden Boot along with the Playmaker Award and PFA Players’ Player of the Year, while both Alexander-Arnold and Robertson hit double figures for assists. It was a campaign that defined Liverpool’s era of excellence.
For any goalkeeper, playing behind such a formidable outfield lineup might seem ideal. Yet Alisson’s contribution was far beyond routine. He recorded a save percentage of over 75%, the second-highest of his Liverpool career, just behind the 77% he achieved in the 2018/19 season when Liverpool won the Champions League and amassed 97 Premier League points (according to FBref data).
Some might argue that Alisson’s high save rate was a by-product of a dominant team that allowed fewer quality chances. However, detailed analysis paints a very different picture.
Goalkeeping analyst John Harrison revealed that during the 2021/22 Premier League season, Alisson faced 54 one-on-one situations – second only to Leeds United’s Illan Meslier – and prevented Liverpool from conceding more than eight goals above the expected average in those scenarios.
Harrison’s data model, similar in concept to expected goals (xG), evaluates the likelihood of a goalkeeper saving a particular shot based on historical averages across the league. It effectively measures how many goals a goalkeeper was expected to concede versus how many they actually did.
In this model, Alisson outperformed the ‘average Premier League goalkeeper’ by an incredible 8.46 goals in one-on-one situations. To put that into perspective, Brighton’s Robert Sanchez ranked second that season, preventing 4.76 more goals than expected — nearly half of Alisson’s figure.
This data dispels the common misconception that Alisson’s success was merely the result of playing behind an exceptional defence. In truth, Liverpool’s style of play often exposed him to high-risk chances, particularly due to their high defensive line and aggressive pressing system.
Even during their peak years, Liverpool were not immune to opposition counter-attacks and conceded the fifth most one-on-one situations in the 2021/22 Premier League season — despite finishing with 92 points. Time and again, it was Alisson’s presence that preserved their title hopes and cup runs.
Should Alisson Becker choose to move on this summer, he will leave not just as a Liverpool great, but as arguably the finest goalkeeper to have ever graced the Premier League since its inception in 1992. His blend of technical excellence, mental strength, and game-changing performances ensures his name will be etched among football’s all-time elite.
