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14th Dec 2016

Liverpool fans torn as Jurgen Klopp drops Loris Karius

Simon Mignolet is in.

Darragh Murphy

This is going to be make or break for Loris Karius.

Following a spate of errors and an ever-increasing media scrutiny on the Liverpool goalkeeper, he’s been dropped for the Reds’ clash at Middlesbrough on Wednesday night.

Karius didn’t cover himself in glory at the weekend, when he should arguably have done better with both of West Ham’s goals in the 2-2 draw.

The 23-year-old failed to get power behind the hand that got a touch to Dimitri Payet’s free kick before he then found himself in a questionable position for Michail Antonio’s effort.

Karius’ sub-par performance against Bournemouth a week earlier resulted in Gary Neville criticising the German in comments that Karius responded to in an interview with the The Daily Mail.

Even Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has hit out at the ‘keeper’s abilities, which will do nothing to help out with the player’s confidence.

It’s been a whirlwind few months on Merseyside for Karius, who we understand will not be in Jurgen Klopp’s starting XI for the Reds’ midweek fixture at the Riverside Stadium.

Simon Mignolet will return to the fray, in a move that has divided Reds supporters.

Some believed it was the right call from the Liverpool manager.

Others got a chuckle out of the suggestion that he was taking the Neville brothers’ advice. 

A section of Liverpool supporters argued that Karius was being dropped to protect him from the media tornado he found himself engulfed by. 

Whereas most were just dreading the sight of Mignolet between the sticks. 

Catch up with this week’s episode of Football Friday Live