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Simon Mignolet: 'Liverpool can cope with European demands'

Mignolet: 'Liverpool can cope with demands'
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Simon Mignolet insists that Liverpool can challenge both domestically and in Europe next season if they qualify for the Champions League.

Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet has insisted that his side will adapt to playing European football next season should they qualify for the Champions League.

The Reds head into Sunday's final-day showdown with Middlesbrough at Anfield knowing that victory will guarantee them a top-four finish for just the second time in eight years.

Mignolet concedes that Liverpool will not be as fresh if they are also competing in UEFA's showpiece competition, but does not believe his side should therefore be automatically ruled out of the Premier League title race.

"The Premier League is obviously a tough league and you need the energy to play week in, week out, but I think we have the squad to do that, so it doesn't mean that if you're in the Champions League you can't fight for the Premier League title," he told Sky Sports News. "Those two things can be combined.

"It's clear that it helps if you don't play in Europe, and you can focus yourself week in, week out, on the Premier League, freshen players up and play with the same squad every week. If you see how Leicester played last year, they played nearly every game with the same team. I think Chelsea are one of the sides with the least changes.

"These things obviously help, it's a demanding league, and everyone wants to play in it. But it is important because I think Liverpool's history shows they are fighting in the top of the Premier League and in Europe. We've got the chance of getting in the Champions League, and everybody is very hungry for this in the dressing room. Everybody wants to fight at the top stage."

Mignolet has wrested back his number-one spot this season after being dropped in favour of Loris Karius at one stage, featuring 27 times so far in the league.

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TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool15113131131836
2Chelsea16104237191834
3Arsenal1686229151430
4Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest168442119228
5Manchester CityMan City168352823527
6Bournemouth167452421325
7Aston Villa167452425-125
8Fulham166642422224
9Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton166642625124
10Tottenham HotspurSpurs1672736191723
11Brentford167273230223
12Newcastle UnitedNewcastle166552321223
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd166462119222
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham165472129-819
15Crystal Palace163761721-416
16Everton153661421-715
17Leicester CityLeicester163582134-1314
18Ipswich TownIpswich162681628-1212
19Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1623112440-169
20Southampton1612131136-255


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