Why Portsmouth's on-loan Manchester City keeper Gavin Bazunu earned special praise from Danny Cowley on Saturday amid Liverpool and Bournemouth links

Every appearance for the Republic of Ireland this term appears to have been accompanied by a deluge of admiration for his undoubted talent.

His Pompey form – 10 clean sheets in 22 appearances – has earned him huge praise.

And God only knows what’s being said away from the public gaze, with Liverpool and Bournemouth the latest clubs to be credited with interest in the 19-year-old who is currently on loan at Fratton Park from Manchester City.

No doubt, the Dubliner will be finding it hard to keep pace with constant stream of tributes heading his direction.

So when Blues boss Danny Cowley weighs in with his latest pat on the back, you wonder if it even registers.

SEE ALSO: Danny Cowley’s encouraging words which allay fears of Gavin Bazunu getting Manchester City recall

It should, though, with the Pompey head coach singling out one particular save from Bazunu during Saturday’s 2-0 win over Morecambe and placing it firmly in his own ‘best-ever’ category.

It came late into the Fratton Park fixture, with the Blues on the cusp of another important three points and the keeper rarely tested.

Shrimpers midfielder Adams Philips took aim from 25 yards out and looked set to give Stephen Robinson’s side a consolation goal to take back to the north west – only for Bazunu to intervene.

He tipped the thunderous effort onto the bar to deny Philips and preserve a fourth consecutive clean sheet in the league.

It was a saved which automatically drew plenty of plaudits on social media.

And it was one which Cowley felt needed to be highlighted in his post-match interviews with The News.

Indeed, so impressed he claimed it was the best save he’s ever seen live!

He told chief sports writer Neil Allen: ‘Gavin made an unbelievable save.

‘Gavin’s save was as good as I have seen live, it’s a brilliant save, and then he came and caught a couple of crosses. He’s just a class act.

‘But he knows more than anyone that it's an 11-man job to keep a clean sheet - and that’s 10 for us this season.’

And it seems Cowley felt the need to say it again, when chatting to BBC Solent.

Repeating his verdict, he added: ‘Gavin, wow, that’s as good a save I’ve seen live.

‘But what I liked more was in the next couple of moments he came out and caught a couple of crosses for us but it’s always an 11-man job to keep clean sheets and the team in front of him have worked very, very hard to achieve that.’

Pompey are next in action on Saturday when they travel to AFC Wimbledon, giving Bazunu a week to catch up with the latest praise that has head his way!