Klopp Confirms Karius To Start Against Sevilla

It’s been clear since the start of the season that Klopp is dedicated to his plan to rotate out his three goalkeepers, Simon Mignolet, Loris Karius, and Danny Ward over the many fixtures that Liverpool will have to compete in. Karius was in charge of the big match against Arsenal, while Mignolet manned the goal in the next match against Manchester City.

With the Champions League starting up tomorrow, the prevailing theory was that Karius would be in charge of those matches, while Mignolet took over in the league, leaving domestic cup matches for Ward. That theory seems to be proving true, at least this week, with Karius regaining his spot when Liverpool take on Sevilla in the first game of the Champions League group stages.

Klopp defended this choice today during his pre-game presser, saying, "The situation I can say with absolute truth. If we have Simon as No 1 and play the other goalkeepers not once throughout the year...

“If they train bad they don't deserve a game, but they both train really well, they keep the level really high. If we don't give them a game then every year we have to find a new No 2 who is 33, still able to catch a few balls and doesn't want to play any more – that's really difficult to find someone like that,” Klopp said.

“I prefer having a group of good goalkeepers, and that means you have to change things. The game against Arsenal when Loris played was exactly how I said. It was very intense, yes we could have said afterwards it was not a goalkeeper game, but we didn't know that before.

“Could he prove something? I think he did. He was very cool with the ball, I know for some people too cool with the ball but that can happen with no rhythm, so that now he has had the game and it helped him a lot, us also and now he will start.

“That's the plan – not to keep them happy. No, to use the quality of the goalkeepers and that's how it is, to keep them altogether and then they will decide with the performance who will play."

While the scoreline against Arsenal flattered Karius, he didnt have much to do. Still, fingers crossed for a similar result for Loris against Sevilla.