It was a tough, tough beginning to the season for Simon Mignolet, who couldn’t seem to do right for doing wrong. That said, his first 18 months at Anfield had been far from perfect, with many claiming that the Belgian didn’t have what it took to be a Liverpool no.1.
But a few months on from his lowest point and Simon has now risen to the summit of the Premier League list of top goalkeepers, with 9 clean sheets this season, ahead of both David De Gea and Thibaut Courtoit who are both on 7.
Speaking to the Liverpool ECHO, Clemence said: “Simon deserves great credit for how he has turned things around. He’s making vital saves and helping his team win matches.
“It just shows what a difference confidence makes. He had a tough time earlier in the season.
“After being left out he had the bonus of coming back into the team earlier than he would have expected after Brad Jones got injured. Since returning to the team he has got better and better.
“Earlier this season he endured a spell where things weren’t going right for him but he went away and worked on a few things. There are still a few areas I’m sure he’d like to improve on further but he’s having an excellent time of it and long may it continue.”
As the season reaches a climax, Liverpool will be looking to Mignolet to continue his superb form and to continue to dominate his area and command the men in front of him.
While many believe the rise and rise of Jordan Henderson to be one of the most impressive stories of being a success at Liverpool, despite being mere hours from leaving, the story of Simon Mignolet becoming a well-respected Liverpool keeper could (should he continue his current form) trump even that in years to come.