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Rob Green: Simon Mignolet will survive Liverpool axe and come back stronger

Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet sits on the bench
Image: Simon Mignolet: Lost place to Brad Jones

Simon Mignolet will "come back stronger" from his period out of the Liverpool team.

That is the view of England international and QPR No 1 Rob Green, who joined Sky Sports News HQ's Morning View on Wednesday to give an insight into the art of goalkeeping and an assessment of his Premier League peers.

Mignolet was dropped for Liverpool's defeat at Manchester United on Sunday in the wake of a 1-1 draw with Basel which sealed his side's Champions League exit, and Brendan Rodgers later said the Belgian would be out of the side for an "indefinite" time.

When times are tough the manager may take stock behind the scenes and say 'now's the time to give him a rest'. It's happened to me, it's happened to every goalkeeper
Rob Green on Simon Mignolet

That was widely interpreted as meaning a long spell out but Green, now established as Rangers' first choice after losing his place in his first season there, said: "How do you define indefinitely? It's indeterminate - maybe he'll be back sooner than you'd expect.

"At some point keepers need a time out - it's strange keeping him for the Champions League and removing him straight afterwards when he didn't do a lot wrong, but that's the manager's decision. Simon will work hard and come back stronger.

Tough

"Clearly he's got the ability and clearly the manager believes in him - he signed him - but when times are tough the manager may take stock behind the scenes and say 'now's the time to give him a rest'. It's happened to me, it's happened to every goalkeeper."

Live Ford Super Sunday

Brad Jones replaced Mignolet at Old Trafford, but it was the Australian's opposite number David De Gea who stole the show with a string of saves to keep out Raheem Sterling and Mario Balotelli.

De Gea can now be classed as a world-class keeper, according to Gary Neville, and Green said: "I understand what he's saying - he's now a goalkeeper with the personality and stature to fill the goal for a club like Manchester Untied."

The Spaniard twice used his feet to win one-on-ones with Sterling, and Green says the technique is a byproduct of a new goalkeeping strategy for outwitting the modern-day forward.

"It's something I've looked at," he said. "Standing up that bit longer and making the forward make a decision.

"Players are so quick on their feet now that if you go down a fraction too early, the dink over the top is an easy option. To stay on your feet provides an opportunity for the player to shoot low, then you save with your feet."

Will Simon Mignolet be back in Liverpool's goal this weekend? Liverpool v Arsenal is live on Sky Sports 1 HD on Super Sunday, kick-off 4pm.

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