Simon Mignolet Accepts Criticism Comes as Part of the Liverpool Job Following Huddersfield Win

Liverpool stopper Simon Mignolet has admitted that the heavy criticism him and his teammates have received is part of the package when you play for a big club like Liverpool.

The Belgian and some Liverpool players came under scrutiny following their abject 4-1 defeat to Tottenham last weekend, but showed signs of improvements with a 3-0 win over Huddersfield on Saturday.

There were calls for Mignolet to be dropped following another error-strewn performance, but he kept his place earning a clean sheet in the process. 

Speaking to the Liverpool Echo the former Sunderland keeper acknowledged the frustrations of Liverpool fans following their defeat to Spurs.

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“You know when you play a good game and you know when you play a bad game. Normally we play midweek which wasn’t the case this week so that didn’t help because then a lot gets written and a lot gets said. You can only put it behind you with a good performance.

“Everyone deals with criticism in a different way. Some guys read it, some guys don’t really listen to it, some guys try to stay away from it, some guys get angry about it. It is just about staying calm, not getting carried away with what is said because that is part and parcel of playing for Liverpool. You have to deal with it as it’s not going to change."

Goals from Daniel Sturridge, Roberto Firmino and Gini Wijnaldum returned the Reds to winning ways and Anfield, to keep them in the hunt for a top four spot and Mignolet claimed the team was happy with their response to the Spurs defeat.

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“It is about making sure you get the right reaction. Everyone wanted to respond in a good way with a good performance. That’s what we did and that is why we can be proud of it. We did a good job. We won at home and that is something we need to do on a consistent basis.

“After the Tottenham game I didn’t need to be told that I had a bad game. It’s about not beating yourself up too much but at the same time knowing what you could have done better and what you have to change to try to correct it.I didn’t have much to do so it wasn’t like I was going to help the team but at the same time sometimes you can crumble underneath the pressure."

Liverpool return to Champions League action on Wednesday when the face Slovakian side Maribor off the back of their 7-0 win last time out, knowing that a win will boost their prospects f reaching the last 16.