Mignolet on Carra criticism and Liverpool No.1 battle

Mark Scott
Simon Mignolet: Regained Liverpool place

Simon Mignolet: Backed by Liverpool coach

Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet has revealed his thoughts on Jamie Carragher’s criticism and his relationship with Loris Karius.

The Belgian initially lost his place to the £4.7million summer signing from Mainz 05, but has since been reinstated by manager Jurgen Klopp.

However, the criticism he has received has shown no signs of letting up, with Jamie Carragher one of the pundits who is understandably forthright with his views on Liverpool’s goalkeeper situation.

“Carra has been a critic of mine,” Mignolet told The Times.

“He wants goalkeepers to make big saves, but against Stoke if I don’t make the save against Joe Allen, then the game becomes much more difficult.

“It is 2-0 and Stoke sit in, play two banks of four and won’t come out of their own 18-yard box. I made that save and five minutes later Adam [Lallana] scores, 1-1.

“If you are fighting at the top in the Premier League then you cannot do that with a dodgy goalkeeper. It is not possible.”

Mignolet was also quizzed about his relationship with Loris Karius and, while they are part of the ‘goalkeeper’s union’, there are other sin the Liverpool squad that the Belgian feels closer to.

“The goalkeeper’s union is seen as a cliche but it definitely exists because there are not many people who can speak about these things,” he added.

“There is no hatred. No, no. It is not Loris’ fault that I was not playing and it is not my fault that Loris is not playing at this time.

“You know only one can play and so you fight against each other to get yourself better and, in the end, it makes the team better.

OK, so we are not going to be like I am with my brother, or with Divock [Origi] or Georginio [Wijnaldum], but it is not like I take his chicken kebab off his plate when he is not looking.”