By support

26th Feb, 2017 | 6:04pm

Simon Mignolet shares how he won back his Liverpool place

By Matt Farr

Goalkeeper Simon Mignolet has admitted it took sheer hard work to regain his place in the Liverpool first team.

The 28-year-old had fallen out-of-favour at the club following the arrival of Loris Karius in the summer, but following a series of unconvincing performances from the German, Mignolet has since been reinstated to the Liverpool first-team.

Since regaining the No.1 jersey, Mignolet has kept four clean sheets from 10 Premier League appearances.

The Liverpool stopper revealed just what he had to do to win back Jurgen Klopp’s trust and his place in the starting XI.

“It has been a test of character,” Mignolet said, as quoted by the Express. “You need tough shoulders and a good chin to keep your head up. In the end, you have to look into the mirror and work hard to keep improving. That’s what your job is.

“I did it when I was dropped but don’t think it only happens at the moment when things go bad. You look to yourself on a daily basis and say: ‘You’re doing everything you can.’

“I’m turning 29 on March 6 so I’ve been a professional football player for a while now. You know you have to keep doing that continuously.”

Despite all the criticism of Karius’ performances, it hasn’t quite been smooth sailing for Mignolet in the first-team either.

The Belgium international had started the campaign as the No.1 goalkeeper at Anfield, but after conceding eight goals in his first five appearances, was axed in favour of Karius.

Both goalkeepers continue to come under immense criticism for being below the required standard for a Liverpool goalkeeper, and as such the club have been linked with a move for a new stopper in the summer transfer window

Mignolet has most recently come under fire for a series of high-profile blunders last month, having been left embarrassed by a David Luiz free-kick, and gifting Hull a 2-0 win with an individual error.

However, Klopp has resisted the urge to make a second goalkeeper U-turn, and Mignolet has remained in goal for Liverpool since the Hull defeat three weeks’ ago.

He is expected to retain his place in the side when Liverpool take on Leicester in Monday’s Premier League meeting at the King Power Stadium.

In other Liverpool news, Jurgen Klopp has heaped praise on this Liverpool player for his leadership this season (it’s not Henderson).

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