Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet believes under-fire Loris Karius will bounce back stronger after being dropped following a spell of poor form.
Reds manager Jurgen Klopp opted to recall Mignolet for the trip to Middlesbrough on Wednesday and was rewarded with a vital away win and a clean sheet to boot as Karius could only look on from the substitute’s bench.
While Mignolet will undoubtedly be pleased with on his first showing since September, he was quick to defend his colleague.
“We are team-mates, we all have to get through it and push each other,” he said.
“For Loris, it will not be nice. But he’s more than capable and professional enough to deal with it and learn from it.
“He will only get stronger from it.”
Karius had been on the receiving end of widespread criticism after several recent errors and was finally taken out of the firing line.
“That’s part of the job and you have to be mentally strong to deal with that,” said the Belgium international. “I’m coming up to 29, and I’ve been through it as well. It’s not nice.
“You only get stronger from it, especially at a club like Liverpool Football Club. One thing gets really big out of nothing.”