Simon Mignolet convinced that Liverpool have turned a corner in their struggles against lesser Premier League teams
Liverpool have struggled against lesser-placed teams this season but Mignolet has said their win against Watford shows they are capable of grinding out a result
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Your support makes all the difference.Simon Mignolet believes that Liverpool have turned a corner in their record against the lesser teams, the games that will decide whether the club finish third this season.
Liverpool kept hold of third on Monday by beating Watford 1-0 and their three remaining games are all easy on paper: Southampton at home, West Ham United away and Middlesbrough at home. But it is against the lesser teams that Liverpool have struggled this season.
Their six defeats have come against Burnley, Bournemouth, Swansea City, Hull City, Leicester City and Crystal Palace. The highest-placed of those teams is Bournemouth in 10th.
Mignolet knows that Liverpool will have to prove that they have solved this problem in their final games, but if they can do that, then Champions League football next season is theirs.
“We accepted that a lot had to change in this type of game,” Mignolet said after Monday’s win at Vicarage Road.
“I think we've shown we have learned a lot, especially since that Burnley game [2-1 home win on 12 March]. There are still things to improve but that's a good thing.”
The Belgian goalkeeper pointed to the away wins at Stoke City and West Bromwich Albion in April, which Liverpool had to grind out but which helped to move them up from fourth to third, away from the Manchester clubs.
“I think we've played a lot of good football this season,” Mignolet said. “Sometimes you have to learn how to play against these sorts of teams.
To win at places like West Brom, Stoke and Watford shows we can do this. We have three more games like this to play. We have to keep that balance and grind those results out.”
Those ground out wins give Liverpool a platform and a model to go and win their last three games. If they can do that then only a goal difference splurge from Manchester City can keep them out of third, while they would still finish fourth and go into the Champions League play-off in August. Which given their resources would still be a brilliant season.
“It's in our own hands and that's a positive” Mignolet said.
“But it's not done yet. We have three games to go and every game in the Premier :League is tough. We have to keep going how we are. We are in good shape but things can still change.”
From now it is just about seeing it out for Liverpool, showing a professionalism and discipline that has not always characterised their game this season, but may be creeping in now.
“We have to keep our focus, keep our feet on the floor and keep grinding out results like we did against Watford,” Mignolet said.
“Everybody is very hungry to play in the Champions League next season. It's where you want to play. But we're not there yet and there's still a lot of hard work ahead of us.”
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