Source: PA
Hodgson hails Reina milestone
Manager Roy Hodgson paid tribute to the work of Jose Reina after he became the quickest Liverpool goalkeeper to reach 100 clean sheets in the league.
The Spain international was rarely troubled in Monday night's 3-0 victory at home to Aston Villa as he notched up the landmark in 198 games - breaking by some considerable distance the previous record held by Reds great Ray Clemence, who took 217 games.
Reina had only one save to make, denying Gabriel Agbonlahor from close range with the score at 2-0 early in the second half.
"He salvaged the situation for us as good goalkeepers do and I can only congratulate him on being the fastest goalkeeper to 100 league clean sheets for Liverpool," said Hodgson. "If it had gone to 2-1 that could have lifted them and put us on the back foot.
"He has done it in the face of some very stiff competition, in particular Ray Clemence and Bruce Grobbelaar who were two legendary goalkeepers for this club. It is fantastic he has outdone them by reaching the landmark fastest and it was also nice to hear him pay tribute to the people in front of him.
"I think all goalkeepers who are going to break all records need good defences in front of them. But I think he may be the best in the league at setting up attacks and distributing the ball. He got his clean sheet without being able to get the cigar on in the six-yard box but it is very nice he has done that. It is a record he can justifiably proud of."
