Liverpool goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili will make his first start of the season when Liverpool face Tottenham Hotspur in the Carabao Cup third round on Tuesday night.
Reds head coach Andoni Iraola confirmed the decision during his pre-match press conference, with Alisson Becker having started Liverpool's opening four Premier League matches as well as the Champions League clash with Atletico Madrid.
Asked whether he would change his goalkeeper for the cup tie, Iraola was clear.
"“Will I change the goalkeeper? Yes. Alisson is proven, he is playing very well. I rate Giorgi very highly, I know him from his years in Spain. We tried to sign him for Bournemouth before I came here, he is a very good goalkeeper. He is going to start tomorrow.”"Andoni Iraola on Giorgi Mamardashvili
It gives the 6'6 keeper an important opportunity to impress under a manager who already knows his qualities from his time in La Liga.
Alisson has conceded five goals in his five appearances this season while keeping two clean sheets, but Iraola has made it clear that his decision is not a reflection of the Brazilian's performances.
Instead, it represents a chance for Mamardashvili to begin rebuilding his confidence at Anfield.
Iraola knows exactly what Mamardashvili can offer
Iraola's decision is particularly interesting because his admiration for the former Valencia man goes back several years.
The Spaniard managed Rayo Vallecano during the 2022/23 campaign and came up against the Georgian goalkeeper three times during his time in La Liga.
Rayo won twice and drew once across those meetings, but the Georgian international still left an impression on Iraola, making nine saves across the three games and preventing an estimated 1.37 expected goals.
Those performances clearly stayed with the Liverpool head coach.
After leaving Rayo, Iraola took charge of Bournemouth, where he has admitted that he attempted to bring the shot-stopper to the Premier League before the goalkeeper eventually joined Liverpool from Valencia in a deal worth around £35 million.
The relationship therefore predates Mamardashvili's arrival at Anfield and gives Tuesday night's game an added layer of intrigue.
Iraola is not simply giving his second-choice goalkeeper a game because it is the Carabao Cup. He has already been convinced of Mamardashvili's ability for several years.
Mamardashvili has a point to prove at Liverpool
The opportunity comes at an important time for Liverpool's backup keeper.
His first season at Liverpool did not go according to plan. After arriving from Valencia, the Georgian made 20 appearances across the campaign, keeping just three clean sheets while conceding 34 goals and making 55 saves.
Those numbers were a significant drop from his output in Spain.
The Georgian had established himself as one of La Liga's most reliable shot-stoppers at Valencia, making 110 saves in 39 appearances during the 2022/23 season and keeping eight clean sheets despite the club finishing 16th.
However, there were still areas of the 25-year-old's game which needed improvement.
His distribution was inconsistent, particularly when his confidence was low, while his positioning and decision-making outside his goal could also be improved.
That could be particularly important under Iraola.
The Liverpool boss wants his side to play on the front foot, move the ball quickly and make incisive forward passes from the back. That style arguably suits Alisson more naturally, but Mamardashvili now has a manager who already believes he has the qualities required to succeed.
Tottenham have yet to score a Premier League goal this season, following consecutive 0-0 draws against Everton and Nottingham Forest.
For Mamardashvili, Tuesday night is more than just a Carabao Cup appearance. It is his first chance to show Iraola that the goalkeeper he tried to sign at Bournemouth can finally become the goalkeeper he wanted at Liverpool.
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