Football
Glenn Price, Liverpool correspondent 7y

Liverpool's Loris Karius to start over Simon Mignolet vs. Spartak

Jurgen Klopp says Loris Karius will start in goal for Liverpool against Spartak Moscow in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Karius started Liverpool's opening match of the group stage -- a 2-2 draw with Sevilla earlier this month -- and is in line to keep hold of the No. 1 jersey for the encounter at the Otkrytiye Arena.

However, Klopp refused to confirm whether the 24-year-old German would command the starting spot for all of Liverpool's matches in the competition this season.

The Liverpool manager told the club's official website: "Yes, Loris will start.

"I am not sure if I have to make a decision like this [the club's 'Champions League goalkeeper']. It's all about performing.

"That shouldn't be taken as me saying: 'You are not performing, you're out of the goal.' Everyone is allowed to make mistakes or whatever, but it's about performing in training and the games for all of our goalkeepers.

"He will play tomorrow and we will see, but Simon is the No. 1 and that's the situation."

Speaking at a news conference in Moscow on Monday, Karius hopes to use these outings in Europe to prove to his manager that he can become Liverpool's first-choice goalkeeper in the Premier League.

The former Mainz shot-stopper is second choice in the goalkeeping pecking order at Anfield after a three-way battle with Mignolet and Danny Ward during the preseason.

"It's a healthy competition," Karius said. "If you're at a big club like this then you know there is going to be competition for every spot.

"I just see it as a chance when I get to play to prove myself to the manager and use the Champions League as a chance to show him I'm ready for whatever competition."

Meanwhile, Klopp has suggested that Sadio Mane could immediately return to Liverpool's starting XI after missing the last three domestic matches due to suspension.

"He's back and available again -- and if he is available it makes sense to bring him from the beginning, but we will see," Klopp added.

"It's difficult to make the lineup already; we did some analysis of Moscow yesterday morning. That gives you a little insight [into our schedule] -- you win at Leicester, have a team meeting when you come in [on Sunday], then you have the analysis meeting about Moscow and then an analysis meeting with the team about Leicester again. Then you go home and you watch Moscow and Newcastle because we play there a few days later!

"The next meeting with the players is tomorrow -- and I have to go immediately to the press conference which is in a different hotel to our one, but then we will make the lineup.

"Sadio is back and it's really good. He made all the normal training sessions. When you are injured or suspended you have to do more than the rest of the squad because you cannot play, so he should be OK."

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