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27th Aug 2017

Jurgen Klopp is reportedly set to hand Loris Karius a start over Simon Mignolet against Arsenal

A surprise move from Klopp

Simon Lloyd

Liverpool will reportedly be without Simon Mignolet when they face Arsenal on Sunday afternoon.

The Telegraph claim that Jürgen Klopp is expected to name Loris Karius as his goalkeeper for the 4pm kick off, with the Belgian being rested following Liverpool’s midweek Champions League qualifying victory over Hoffenheim.

Klopp is understood to have informed Mignolet following his side’s training session at Melwood on Saturday.

The Liverpool boss’ decision to ‘rest’ Mignolet is a surprise one – especially when considering (as the Telegraph report also points out) the 29-year-old is a stand-in goalkeeper for his national side and isn’t expected to feature for them during the international break.

Karius arrived at Anfield last summer from Mainz and endured a difficult start to his Liverpool career which saw Mignolet restored as the club’s first choice goalkeeper. Although Klopp always maintained he intended to reinstate his countryman as a starter in the Premier League, few would’ve expected him to do so in such a high profile game, especially not having said Mignolet was his number one only weeks ago.

Liverpool head into Sunday’s game with four points from their opening Premier League fixtures in the new campaign. Having surrendered a lead to a stoppage time equaliser at Watford, they earned their first league win of the season against Crystal Palace last weekend – Sadio Mane’s goal enough to secure all three points.