Liverpool’s Simon Mignolet: No point discussing Gary Neville’s criticism

Simon Mignolet says Gary Neville’s past criticism of the Liverpool goalkeeper is “not important”.

The Manchester United legend questioned Mignolet’s starting position after Everton captain Phil Jagielka scored a long-range equaliser in the dying minutes of the Merseyside derby at Anfield in October.

The Belgium international endured a difficult couple of months between the sticks for the Merseyside outfit, culminating in the 26-year-old being dropped for a number of weeks.

However, Mignolet has since reclaimed his starting spot and has helped Liverpool go on a nine-game unbeaten run in the Premier League, conceding six goals in his last eight games.

Asked by Liverpool Echo if Neville’s criticism was unfair, Mignolet replied: “There is no point going down the route of ‘if that was true or not true’,” he says. “It’s not important.

“We analysed that with the goalkeeper coach, including the Lamela save and Everton game at the beginning of the season and as a keeper you have to accept with every goal that goes in the question will be asked ‘could he have done better?’

“Sometimes the answer is no, you could not do anything. Sometimes it is yes, should have done this.

“The next day it is working on where you can do better. From all those incidents you want to learn and become a better keeper.”

Only Southampton goalkeeper Fraser Forster has more clean sheets than Mignolet and Lukas Fabianski, with a total of nine with 23 games played.

The Belgian shot stopper hasn’t conceded just two goals in his last five top-flight games.