Vitezslav Jaros found himself being thrown in at the deep end as he made his Liverpool debut against Crystal Palace.
The Czech Republic international was handed his first senior appearance for the Reds as he was called from the bench after Alisson Becker was forced off with a hamstring injury. With Caoimhin Kelleher ill, the 23-year-old had already been handed an unexpected place among the substitutes.
And he was quickly called into action as he had to make a save from Eberechi Eze shortly after replacing the Brazilian with Liverpool looking to protect their 1-0 lead at Selhurst Park.
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Any fans who have been at Liverpool’s games this season will likely recognize Jaros, with the keeper having traveled with the Reds for all their matches so far this season, providing support to Alisson and Kelleher during the warm-ups.
Jaros has been at Liverpool since 2017, having joined the Reds’ academy from Slavia Prague. He began under the watchful eye of Steven Gerrard, and was part of the squad that lifted the FA Youth Cup in 2019, beating Manchester City on penalties in the final.
Since signing a long-term contract in 2020, Jaros has spent much of his time away on loan from Anfield. A spell at Irish Premier Division side St Patrick’s Athletic saw him named the club’s Player of the Year as he helped them win the FAI Cup.
He headed back out on loan in January 2022, this time staying in England as he joined National League side Notts County. The following season, he joined League Two outfit Stockport County, where among his highlights was a penalty save from James Maddison during a Carabao Cup clash against Leicester City.
At the start of 2024, he penned a new deal with Liverpool before heading out on loan to Austrian side Sturm Graz. A successful spell saw him make 21 appearances, and help them to a league and cup double.
Reflecting on his time in Austria, Jaros told the club’s website during the summer: “It was brilliant, enjoyable – playing games and winning something as well.
“Winning two [trophies], which isn’t a thing for other clubs in Austria rather than RB Salzburg. It was really good.
“I think I’ve developed quite a lot. With games, you get match experience and game management and everything. It was brilliant for me.”
His form in Austria saw him earn international recognition as he earned his first call-up for the Czech Republic in March, before going on to earn a place in his country’s squad for Euro 2024. Although he wouldn’t make an appearance at the tournament, he did make his debut in a warm-up game, coming on as a substitute in a 7-1 win over Malta.
Now part of Slot’s first-team squad this season, Jaros could find more opportunities coming his way after the international break if Alisson's injury keeps him out for an extended period.
