Is Alisson Liverpool’s greatest ever goalkeeper? DOMINIC KING ranks the best in the club’s history – does the heroic Brazilian beat legendary Ray Clemence and Bruce Grobbelaar?

Liverpool‘s history is decorated with goalkeepers whose names reverberate through the ages – and some carry more distinction than others.

But who is the best of all-time? One man in yellow reminded everyone of just how good he is on Wednesday night as Alisson Becker once again pulled off a string of barely believable saves to seal a smash-and-grab victory for Liverpool over Paris Saint-Germain.

After a remarkable night in Paris thanks to the man with the gloves, Mail Sport asked DOMINIC KING to rank his top five Liverpool goalkeepers.

This is how he answered…

5. Pepe Reina

June 2005 – July 2013

A strong character and a leader in the dressing room, Reina’s importance to Liverpool was so big at one point the club had him a six-year deal.

During the 2009-10 season, when there was a financial storm and ownership issues, Reina’s performances were remarkable.

The Spaniard’s displays in the 2009-10 season were crucial amid turmoil off the field

He had arrived in 2005 from Villarreal, shortly after the Champions League win in Istanbul, and made an immediate impact.

Liverpool’s defence was miserly and he got to 50 clean sheets quicker than anyone before him. He left with three major honours and 177 shutouts in 394 appearances.

4. Bruce Grobbelaar

March 1981 – May 1994

Flamboyant and eccentric; combustible and, occasionally, chaotic.

Many wondered what Bob Paisley was thinking when he replaced Clemence with a young man from Vancouver Whitecaps who had previously served in the Rhodesian army but from an uncertain beginning came a remarkable career.

Grobbelaar had an elasticity – there is a save in the 1986 FA Cup final from Everton striker Graeme Sharp that defied gravity – and could do things unexpectedly (take his spaghetti legs in the 1984 European Cup final in Rome) but he was a fabulous goalkeeper.

He kept 267 clean sheets in 628 appearances (at one stage he made 317 consecutive starts) and won 13 major honours; his team-mates knew they could rely on him and he was a hugely popular figure with supporters. He faced allegations of match fixing after leaving Anfield but was found not guilty.

Bruce Grobbelaar was flamboyant and eccentric; combustible and, occasionally, chaotic

Grobbelaar with the 1984 European Cup, won in a penalty shootout with his wobbly legs

3. Elisha Scott

September 1912 – May 1934

This name might not mean much to the modern audience but, in terms of a history lesson, there was a period when this pugnacious Northern Irishman was considered to be Liverpool’s greatest ever footballer, even at a time when the goal machine that was Billy Liddell was in the conversation.

There was a time when Elisha Scott was considered Liverpool’s greatest ever footballer

Scott’s career was remarkable for its longevity and consistency, with 468 appearances

Scott made his Liverpool debut on New Year’s Day 1913, keeping the first of 137 clean sheets, against Newcastle and he effectively remained between the posts from then until he left in 1934.

This was a career remarkable for its longevity and consistency, with 468 appearances and two league titles.

‘Elisha was the greatest I’ve ever seen. You can have Swift, Trautmann, Banks, Wilson. You can have them all. I’ll take Elisha Scott,’ – those were the words of none other than Dixie Dean.

2. Ray Clemence

July 1967 – June 1981

Mohamed Salah’s goals have prompted forensic scrutiny in recent months of the scoring charts but one record we can say with certainty that will never be broken is the one that Clemence, who is immortalised in a mural a good goal kick from The Kop, holds.

In 665 appearances, Clemence kept a staggering 323 clean sheets (226 of which were in the league), 56 clear of Bruce Grobbelaar and 146 ahead of third-placed Pepe Reina. He was elegant, agile and the cornerstone of team that won everything twice over.

Ray Clemence kept an astonishing 323 clean sheets in more than 600 appearances for Liverpool

Clemence, pictured here with Kevin Keegan after winning the 1977 European Cup, could display his medal haul in a museum

His medal haul could be displayed in a museum and it contains five league championships, three European Cups, two UEFA Cups, an FA Cup and a League Cup. He played during what could be considered the greatest era for English goalkeepers, which explains why he ‘only’ received 61 caps.

It is amazing to think that Clemence barely got a look in during his first three years at Anfield, having arrived from Scunthorpe, and he and his wife, Vee, wondered whether they would have to leave for him to get the opportunities he craved. Thankfully he stayed – and created history.

‘My eyes and ears as a team-mate,’ said Phil Thompson. ‘And, oh, what a keeper.’

1. Alisson Becker

July 2018 – present

There is no recency bias in this choice. Alisson’s arrival at Liverpool from Roma seven years ago was as fundamental to everything the club has achieved since as Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah.

He is the best to pull on a pair of gloves at Anfield and that is not something we say lightly.

When Alisson reported for duty with Liverpool, the squad were training in Evian, a town on the back of Lake Geneva.

There was huge expectation, given his £64.6million fee, but within one session, everyone in the squad knew they had signed someone a bit different.

Alisson was unbeatable in Paris on Wednesday night as Liverpool stole victory

The Brazilian has lifted the Champions League, Premier League and two domestic cups while on Merseyside

It was the speed at which he covered the ground, the power he showed in situations that left on-lookers amazed.

Alisson was making saves that he had no right to do and John Achterberg, the then goalkeeper coach, remembers thinking: ‘F***! This is different level!’

Achterberg had been on his trial since he started out at Internacional in Brazil in 2013 and spoke to Liverpool’s old No 2, Doni, about him.

When Liverpool and Roma faced each other in a friendly in St Louis in August 2016, Alisson played for Roma and Jurgen Klopp took notice. To follow Achterberg, Alisson has been different level ever since.

Alisson was one of the crucial figures in Liverpool’s recent run of dominance

No Liverpool fan will ever forget Alisson’s stunning last-gasp goal to beat West Brom in 2021

Alisson saves Mason Mount’s penalty in the 2022 FA Cup final shootout

Yes, what he did in Paris was out of the ordinary but there are so many other games in which he has been decisive – Napoli in December 2018; the header he scored at West Brom in May 2021, the penalty saves in the 2022 FA Cup Final.

This reporter’s most vivid memory, though, is from the 2019 Champion League final when he grew in stature as Tottenham fought back.

He walked out the stadium at 1am, gripping the trophy and simply said: ‘Sorry, I have to go. I have to protect this.’

He’s protected Liverpool from the day he joined.