Klopp backs Mignolet after Karius injury

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has been impressed by Simon Mignolet as the goalkeeper looks certain to start the season as his number one following Loris Karius’ injury.

Karius broke his hand during his side’s 1-0 loss to Chelsea at the International Champions Cup on Wednesday and is set to miss up to 10 weeks.

Klopp acknowledged the poor timing of the injury – just a couple of weeks out from their Premier League opener against Arsenal – but has faith in Mignolet.

“Timing is never perfect with injuries – not for him, not for us,” he told a news conference on Friday.

“But it’s not that I decided about who is number one or something else. It was collecting information about the players so we had a few about him, we had a few about Mignolet.

“It was only a battle between these two players obviously so now this battle is decided for the next few weeks, 100 per cent.

“It’s only about who can help us most in which situation, which game, so I’m really happy of course that we have Simon and hopefully he can stay in the race and not get injured.”

Klopp was saddened for Karius, who had been solid through pre-season after joining the club from Mainz in May.

He has no date for the 23-year-old shot-stopper’s return, but predicted an absence of between six and 10 weeks.

“It’s not cool for the boy, it’s not cool for us, but we can’t change it, we have to take it,” Klopp said.

“We have another three goalkeepers and everybody knows about the quality of Simon Mignolet so all good. He made a really good impression in the first few days since he’s back in training.

“We have the very experienced Alex Manninger and we have the very young Shamal George so that’s now the situation.

“It could have been worse so everybody knows a broken bone in the hand for a goalkeeper is not the best thing to have so it could have been worse.

“Six, eight, 10 weeks whatever it will take at the end, it’s not the longest period but not too good of course.”