Jurgen Klopp: Simon Mignolet Has ‘Big Personality,’ Can Cope With Pressure

Jurgen Klopp on Tuesday praised Simon Mignolet for his efforts since the manager took charge, as the goalkeeper prepares to play his 100th Premier League game for Liverpool.

The No. 22 was beaten by Fernandinho’s strike during the Capital One Cup final Sunday but kept Manchester City out on a number of other occasions with reaction saves.

It wasn’t to be for the Reds at Wembley Stadium, however, as the penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw saw Manuel Pellegrini’s team take the victory and lift the trophy.

City visits Anfield on Wednesday in the Premier League, and a Belgian reporter at Melwood to interview Mignolet asked Klopp about the ‘keeper at the pre-match press conference.

“I think you (have) found the perfect moment to come here and make the Simon Mignolet story,” Klopp said. “I would like to say the goal we (conceded) in the final was unholdable, but Simon knows it too of course. It is how it is. I’m not sure it was a mistake, but it was not perfect I would say.

“That’s how it is, that’s football players’ lives and especially goalkeepers’ lives. On the other side, I can absolutely say nothing negative about Simon Mignolet — he’s a really good boy, a big personality and, since I’ve been here, he has had to handle a lot of pressure.”