Giorgi Mamardashvili rode to Georgia’s rescue on Saturday with an incredible double save in stoppage time to ensure that they earned a share of the spoils against Ukraine in their UEFA Nations League clash.
The 24-year-old will move to Liverpool next summer, having signed for the Reds in late August and continued to spend this season at Valencia, and he showed just why the Premier League leaders want to bring him in to enhance an already formidable goalkeeping department.
Mamardashvili saves point for Georgia
In the second minute of added time in Batumi, with the teams level at 1-1, Mamardashvili first pulled off an impressive reaction save from penalty spot range and was straight back up to deny a first-time follow-up shot from Oleksandr Nazarenko.
When the danger was eventually cleared for a corner kick, several Georgia players ran towards the goalkeeper to congratulate him and show their appreciation for his late heroics.
Mamardashvili will make Liverpool battle even more intense
When Mamardashvili arrives at Liverpool next year, there could be one hell of a battle for the starting position between the sticks.
Alisson Becker has been unrivalled in that department for more than six years now, but his injury troubles have offered Caoimhin Kelleher (who produced his own magnificent double save in the Nations League this week) an opportunity to prove his worth, one on which he’s fully capitalised.
With the Irishman proving that he’s more than good enough to start regularly, something he hasn’t been slow to air in public, it seems increasingly likely that he could leave Anfield in 2025. Even if that happens, though, there’ll still be some stiff competition to be the first name on Arne Slot’s teamsheet.
Mamardashvili has raised the stakes for the goalkeeping berth with his fine performances for his country, and it’d be an understatement to say that it’s a position which is in rude health at Liverpool right now.
Some clubs don’t even have one netminder in whom they could fully trust. It’s not impossible that the Reds could have as many as four next summer, with Vitezslav Jaros having also stepped up commendably when called upon for first-team duty.
You can view Mamardashvili’s double save for Georgia below, taken from beIN SPORTS’ match coverage and shared via @yassa_prvt on X:
MAMARDASHVILI YOURE ACTUALLY INSANE pic.twitter.com/jcXfR2pNJL
— ︎ (@yassa_prvt) November 16, 2024
