Goakeeper Simon Mignolet hits back at his Liverpool critics after a run of poor performances…
Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet has hit back at critics that have suggested he should be dropped from Brendan Rodgers’ team. The Belgian impressed as the Reds defeated Stoke City 1-0 yesterday.
The Daily Star carry quotes from Mignolet, who insisted that he does not dwell on poor performances, or mistakes such as the one he made against Ludogorets in the mid-week Champions League draw.
Last season the Reds conceded 50 goals in the Premier League – a record for a team finishing as runners-up – after Mignolet’s £9m move from Sunderland. Things have not improved this season, despite several high profile defensive signings, leading to suggestions that the keeper is the issue.
Former club stopper Bruce Grobbelaar recently blamed the 26-year-old, who has kept just three clean-sheets this season, for the club’s poor start to the current campaign, due to his inability to command his area.
However, Mignolet produced on Saturday, when he was on hand to make a late save from Stoke striker Bojan, who came closing to snatching the visitors a dramatic late equaliser at Anfield.
And after the game, the keeper was quick to explain why he wasn’t affected by the criticism of him, saying: “I deal with a good performance the same as a poor performance – you have to accept it and move on.”
“What I did after the (Ludogorets) game was look forward to the next game and that is what I will do again. It is always pleasing as a goalkeeper to keep a clean sheet but the most important thing is to get back to winning ways and hopefully we can build a bit of momentum now.
“If you play at home you want to win games and we did the job and that is all that counts. There is another game on Tuesday (against bottom side Leicester) and we will look forward to that one.”