Roberto Martinez took a good line in man management by picking Liverpool’s Simon Mignolet to start the game for Belgium against the Netherlands.
Jurgen Klopp has made it very clear he sees Loris Karius as his Liverpool number one, despite Mignolet arguably having a better start to the season than the German. Given Mignolet’s frustration, the chance to play in such a big rivalry, albeit a friendly, will have been welcomed.
Belgian newspaper Het Belang van Limburg quote the goalkeeper as saying “This is a boost,” and even ask him if he’d have preferred to be busier in the goal on Wednesday night.
Given Mignolet could hardly say he was disappointed his team gave him protection, the Liverpool player explained: “I can’t choose to have more work to do. It was important that I concentrated for ninety minutes. I’m happy with my match, it was clear that I did not miss game rhythm. Especially considering my situation at Liverpool, this is a boost.”
The newspaper understandably pressed Mignolet on his Liverpool situation, and asked if a confident performance against the Netherlands come help him get his place back from Karius: “I do not know. I can only keep working hard. I think I’m having a good season, also in the League Cup against Tottenham it ran smoothly. For the rest, I don’t have ownership over this.”
