Football
Mike Whalley 9y

Rodgers tells Simon Mignolet to 'let go' of his recent bad performances

Brendan Rodgers has called on Liverpool keeper Simon Mignolet to "let go" of his midweek Champions League error and rediscover his best form quickly.

Mignolet is under increasing scrutiny after a series of underwhelming performances this season.

Former Liverpool keeper Bruce Grobbelaar said earlier this week that the club must sign a replacement for the Belgium international as soon as possible.

Mignolet fumbled a third-minute long-range shot from Marcelinho to allow Dani Abalo to score the opening goal in Wednesday's 2-2 Champions League draw away to Bulgarian side Ludogorets.

Rodgers is looking for the keeper to respond positively when Stoke City visit Anfield in the Premier League on Saturday.

The Liverpool boss told the Guardian: "As a goalkeeper you have to be able to let these things go.

"The goal was a massive setback for the team but we need to keep his confidence as high as we can. We have to look to the weekend and keep a clean sheet."

Mignolet has played every Premier League match for Liverpool since arriving from Sunderland for nine million pounds in June 2013, and Rodgers' comments suggest he will keep his place for the weekend.

Brad Jones is the only other goalkeeper at Liverpool with any first-team experience, and he has played only 23 times for the club since arriving from Middlesbrough in 2010.

The Reds did look at the possibility of signing former Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes as a free agent earlier in the season, but have not pursued a deal.

Grobbelaar told BBC Sport earlier this week that he felt Mignolet was "worse than Dracula" -- a reference to the old joke about author Bram Stoker's vampire character being scared of crosses.

The retired Zimbabwe international, who made 628 appearances for Liverpool between 1981 and 1994, said: "I've said that he doesn't command his area. Yes, he's a great shot stopper. I was slaughtered last year by Liverpool fans saying that I was being too harsh on him.

"I'm not being too harsh on him. Not at all. He's worse than Dracula, because at least Dracula comes out of his coffin now and then. He seems to stay on his line and that's it.

"The whole 18-yard area -- not just the six-yard area -- is the goalkeeper's, in this day and age, in modern goalkeeping."

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