Liverpool have chosen to start Loris Karius in goal in the Champions League game against Porto on Wednesday, casting further doubt upon Simon Mignolet's future with the club.
Mignolet began the campaign as manager Jurgen Klopp's first choice, earning starts in the Premier League while Karius started in the Champions League. But Karius has started six of Liverpool's last seven games, with Mignolet left to handle last month's FA Cup loss to West Brom, leading to suggestions they had swapped roles.
But Klopp said Karius will retain his spot in Portugal as well after impressing in Sunday's 2-0 Premier League win at Southampton.
"Loris will start," Klopp told the club's website. "For all goalkeepers it is the same, they need that [confidence]. I don't like to talk too much about it because we are only interested in the next game, but [his performance at Southampton] was important.
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"There were a few really good saves, important saves, good decisions -- really smart decisions with quick restarts and stuff like that.
"He was involved in the game, was open and it was just a good performance from him."
Mignolet, the 29-year-old Belgium international, joined Liverpool from Southampton in 2013 and said last month that Karius becoming Klopp's first choice will require him to re-examine his future at Anfield.
"I always try to stay quiet and calm," Mignolet said. "In the past, I did come back stronger from such situations.
"But I must of course also think of my own future. The only thing I can do is focus on my training and do my best. I become 30 years old and the World Cup is coming this summer. This situation cannot take too long, which is clear. I cannot lose any more time."
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Source: espn.co.uk