Mignolet to start against Blues

Published on: 25 September 2018

Belgian goalkeeper Simon Mignolet will make a rare start for Liverpool when they play host to Chelsea in the third round of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday evening.

The 30-year-old has not started a game since January and was heavily linked with a move away from Anfield over the summer.

He trains fantastic and he deserves the game, absolutely.

Jurgen Klopp

However, a deal failed to materialise, leaving Mignolet to act as back-up to big-money summer recruit Alisson.

And Mignolet will get a chance to show what he can do when the Blues arrive in town, with Reds head coach Jurgen Klopp happy with the way his player has trained in recent weeks.

He told reporters: "The only position I will confirm that we will be changing is Simon will start.

"Yes, Simon would have been ready to go to another club to be the number one wherever in the world, but we couldn't do it.

"Since then, he's been brilliant. He trains fantastic and he deserves the game, absolutely. I'm really happy to give him that opportunity."

Meanwhile, central defender Virgil van Dijk appears unlikely to feature against Chelsea, having been replaced early in the second half of the 3-0 Premier League win over Southampton at the weekend due to a rib problem.

Klopp added: "He is much better. It is still a bit painful, nothing else.

"Painful is already not too cool, so we will see how we deal with that. How we thought after the game - it's not too serious, but it's not nothing.

"So that needs to settle, for sure. I didn't speak to him yet today, so we will see how he comes here today and then we'll make a decision about him."

Liverpool are priced at 1/2 to reach the fourth round of the Carabao Cup at the expense of Chelsea and are 15/2 to win 2-1 in normal time, with the hosts 11/4 to triumph by a one-goal margin.

View all Soccer betting

Belgian goalkeeper Simon Mignolet will make a rare start for Liverpool when they play host to Chelsea in the third round of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday evening.

The 30-year-old has not started a game since January and was heavily linked with a move away from Anfield over the summer.

He trains fantastic and he deserves the game, absolutely.

Jurgen Klopp

However, a deal failed to materialise, leaving Mignolet to act as back-up to big-money summer recruit Alisson.

And Mignolet will get a chance to show what he can do when the Blues arrive in town, with Reds head coach Jurgen Klopp happy with the way his player has trained in recent weeks.

He told reporters: "The only position I will confirm that we will be changing is Simon will start.

"Yes, Simon would have been ready to go to another club to be the number one wherever in the world, but we couldn't do it.

"Since then, he's been brilliant. He trains fantastic and he deserves the game, absolutely. I'm really happy to give him that opportunity."

Meanwhile, central defender Virgil van Dijk appears unlikely to feature against Chelsea, having been replaced early in the second half of the 3-0 Premier League win over Southampton at the weekend due to a rib problem.

Klopp added: "He is much better. It is still a bit painful, nothing else.

"Painful is already not too cool, so we will see how we deal with that. How we thought after the game - it's not too serious, but it's not nothing.

"So that needs to settle, for sure. I didn't speak to him yet today, so we will see how he comes here today and then we'll make a decision about him."

Liverpool are priced at 1/2 to reach the fourth round of the Carabao Cup at the expense of Chelsea and are 15/2 to win 2-1 in normal time, with the hosts 11/4 to triumph by a one-goal margin.

View all Soccer betting

Source: bet365.com

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