Alisson praises Liverpool's "sticking together" after a penalty save gives the Reds a win over West Ham.
During their recent poor form, Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson and his teammates told each other to “stick together.”
The Reds won just two of their first eight Premier League games, falling out of contention for the title in the early going.
Back-to-back 1-0 home wins over Manchester City and West Ham have restored some optimism at Anfield, with the Brazilian’s penalty save on Wednesday helping his team narrowly defeat the Hammers.
Darwin Nunez’s header in the 22nd minute put Liverpool ahead, before Jarrod Bowen was brought down in the box by Joe Gomez just before halftime.
Alisson, on the other hand, dived down to his right to palm Bowen’s spot-kick away, before some nervous defending in the second half led to a win for Jurgen Klopp’s men.
Following the game, Alisson told Amazon Prime: “We’ve had big goals since the beginning of the season to win trophies and compete in every competition.
“Things did not go as planned for us. We started well with a Community Shield [victory] over Manchester City, an important game against a big opponent. It gave us some confidence, but we didn’t use it in the Premier League, and we suddenly lost confidence during the games, as well as players due to injuries.
“And this had an impact on the team, the rhythm, and some players who had been out for a long time. Everything around us had an effect on us in some way. On the field, the performances weren’t bad, but they weren’t enough to get the three points, let alone the win.
“We just stick together – it was something we talked about a lot, sticking together during this difficult time. Working hard, every day – not just on game days.
“Things are starting to emerge, and the results are on their way, but we shouldn’t get too excited. We have to keep our feet on the ground and just stick together and keep working because this is a long and difficult season for everyone.”
Alisson has only conceded seven of the 13 penalties he has faced in the Premier League (54%, with two saved and four off target), the lowest percentage of any goalkeeper in the competition who has faced at least ten.
Nunez’s goal was his first as a Liverpool player and his fifth overall since joining from Benfica at the end of last season.
“We help him a lot, we keep him really close,” Alisson said of the Uruguayan striker, who had six shots against West Ham before being substituted just before the hour.
“He’s a fantastic young man. I understand how difficult it is to settle in a different country. When I first arrived here, I knew a little more English than he did – he’s still learning. He’s working hard on it, not only on the field, but also off the field to improve his English.
“He’s a very disciplined man, and we’re trying to assist him, as well as Lucho [Luis Diaz]. When we’re on the practice field, we’re a really strong team that works and sticks together all the time.
“Sometimes, outside of the pitch, we get together to spend time together – and this is important not only for him, but also for his family and all of our families.”
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