Simon’s form could be forgotten with United slip-up
LIVERPOOL goalkeeper Simon Mignolet is too modest to claim the club’s recent revival is partly due to his own impressive personal comeback after he had been dropped earlier in the season by manager Brendan Rodgers.
Nevertheless, the facts show that the resurgent Reds go into today’s potential top-four decider against Manchester United at Anfield having been beaten only once in 19 domestic games — a Capital One Cup semi-final second leg against Chelsea — since Mignolet returned to the side on Boxing Day.
Prior to that, they had lost four out of seven in the Premier League and had slipped to 10th place.
The Belgian found out he had been axed the day before Liverpool faced United in the reverse fixture at Old Trafford in December when Louis van Gaal’s men won 3-0.
‘The gaffer took me into his office to tell me I wouldn’t play against United,’ said Mignolet. ‘It was disappointing and I could have let my head drop, but I decided to be positive to make sure my period on the sidelines was
short as possible.
‘I trained the next day to make sure I’d be ready in a better way when the opportunity arose.’
His wish came true. When Brad Jones injured his thigh three matches later against Burnley, Mignolet came on, kept a clean sheet and has not looked back since.
A 1-0 win at Swansea City on Monday was his sixth consecutive clean sheet away from home — the first time that has happened since the days of Bill Shankly.
Victory against United would lift Liverpool into the top four and they would then be favourites to join Chelsea, Manchester City and Arsenal in next season’s Champions League.
The loss at Old Trafford when Rodgers first introduced a three-man defence and played Raheem Sterling up front now appears to be a watershed in the club’s campaign.
‘I don’t think it’s anything to do with me personally,’ said Mignolet. ‘The gaffer changed the system to 3-4-3 and since then things have been very organised. We don’t give many chances away and everybody is willing to work for each other.
‘It’s all about working as a unit. We have dealt well with set-pieces and scored goals.
‘As a goalkeeper, you’re only remembered for your last game. I know I played half-decent against Swansea, but if things turn around against Manchester United on Sunday, no one will mention that,’ he added.
‘I know how it goes and how football is. You have to accept it, but that is also something positive because there’s always something new around the corner.
‘The next game is always the biggest. That’s what we say.’