Liverpool goalkeeper Loris Karius had been ruled out for up to 10 weeks with a broken hand just weeks after moving from FC Mainz.
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However, after suffering the injury during the 1-0 friendy defeat by Chelsea in Pasadena, when he collided with Dejan Lovren, Simon Mignolet looks to have been given a stay of execution at Anfield.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp was expected to start with Karius in their Premier League opener against Arsenal on August 14 but Belgian Simon Mignolet is now likely to keep his place.
“It’s not cool for him, not cool for us but it won’t change and we have to take it”. Mignolet started his Liverpool career on a high, making several saves from point-blank range, and famously denying a Jonathan Walters’ penalty in his debut game for the club.
“We have another three goalkeepers, and everyone knows about the quality of Simon Mignolet”, Klopp explained on Saturday.
“We have the very experienced Alex Manninger and the very young Shamal George”.
Karius’ injury woes means Klopp will now have to turn to Mignolet.
It remains to be seen if Mignolet can take advantage of the injury to his teammate to establish himself as the first choice heading into the new season. “It’s not that I decided who is No. 1 or something else, so it [has been] about collecting information about the players”.
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“These two players have obviously played in the Premier League and got the experience, so there’s no need for a bedding-in period with them, it’s more a case of going out there and performing”.
