Alisson sustained a hamstring injury during Liverpool’s win over Crystal Palace on 5 October and has not played since.
The 32-year-old Brazilian has been Liverpool’s number one since his £66.8m move from Roma in 2018 – playing 271 times and winning the Champions League and Premier League.
At another club, against another goalkeeper, Caoimhin Kelleher might have hoped four clean sheets in eight games would be enough to keep his place.
But Reds boss Arne Slot has made it perfectly clear that is not an option.
“Alisson is – and will be – our first goalkeeper, if he is fit,” Slot said after Liverpool’s win over Aston Villa – in which 25-year-old Kelleher made some fantastic saves.
“Caoimhin has done outstanding last season and this season again as well, but the moment Alisson will be fit he will be our first goalkeeper.”
However, Liverpool legend John Aldridge, writing in a Liverpool Echo column, does not think it should be such a straightforward decision.
“Caoimhin Kelleher has been magnificent and I actually think Arne Slot has got a really big decision to make in the next few weeks.
“Once Alisson is fit, I don’t think it’s fair that Kelleher gets demoted to the bench,” said the former Republic of Ireland striker.
“He has been absolutely first-class. He has been faultless with everything he’s done in the games, and I think [Alisson] will be looking at it and be embarrassed if he went back in because he has done such a good job.”
But Slot’s quotes tell us that decision has already been made…