Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp says Simon Mignolet is still his first-choice goalkeeper, and that he was only rested against Arsenal on Sunday.
Klopp opted to start Loris Karius, with Danny Ward on the bench, as his side comfortably beat the Gunners 4-0 at Anfield on Sunday.
Klopp spoke of the mental intensity required for a goalkeeper, and insisted that the Belgian remains his first-choice.
“We said before the season we wanted to have three really strong ones [goalkeepers],” Klopp said post-match.
“You cannot deal with it as a clear number two and a clear number three. Simon is a clear number one. He won the race in pre-season. You can always rely on him.”
Explaining the decision to rest Mignolet, Klopp explained:
“The intensity for a goalkeeper is different, not physical intensity, mental intensity.
“I told him yesterday and it was not that he gave me a hug and said ‘thank you boss’ – but I wanted to do it and give him this rest and have Loris in this game.”
On Karius, he said:
“He did a lot of good things. He was sometimes too cool but we all need to get used to playing football in close situations. He did a good job and I am happy with this.
Klopp added that it is “100 percent Simon plays against City” – unless something happens during the international break.
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