Liverpool

Simon Mignolet ready to fight for Liverpool starting spot

By Daniel Lewis, Senior Reporter | 24 July 2016

Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet insists that he is used to competing for a regular starting spot at Anfield and is unfazed by the arrival of Loris Karius.

Simon Mignolet has declared that he is ready to battle with Loris Karius all the way to be named as Liverpool's first-choice stopper this coming season.

The 22-year-old, voted as the joint-second best keeper in the Bundesliga last term, joined the Reds in a £4.7m deal from Augsburg earlier this summer.

Mignolet, who has often come under fire for his performances in a Reds top in the past, is relishing the chance to compete for the number one shirt and believes that he is well equipped to come out on top.

"It all comes down to how you deal with it yourself," he is quoted as saying by the Liverpool Echo. "The biggest challenge is the fight you have on your own. You have to look at yourself and make sure you give your best in training and in your performances. That is what I will keep doing.

"There is no point looking at somebody else. You have just got to make sure you do your job in the best possible way. The challenge is good. For every place you need that competition if you are going to improve as a player and as a team. I am used to the competition for places.

"It had happened over the last couple of seasons and it had happened at the previous teams I was at. It is the same with the national team. If you want it, you have got to fight for it. You have got to take the challenge and ensure it gets the best out of you."

Liverpool also completed a deal to bring Alex Manninger to the club earlier this week to provide further cover, but Adam Bogdan has departed Anfield to join Wigan Athletic on loan.