Jurgen Klopp has confirmed that Simon Mignolet has edged out Loris Karius and Danny Ward in the battle to be Liverpool’s first-choice goalkeeper.
The Reds have struggled for stability between the sticks in recent years, with changes made on a regular basis.
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Mignolet has been the established No.1 following a £9 million move from Sunderland in 2013, but he has also been dropped on two occasions.
Karius, however, failed to make the most of his opportunity last season, while Ward is yet to force his way into starting contention after returning from a loan spell at Huddersfield, which saw him help the Terriers to promotion into the Premier League.
Ahead of a 2017-18 opener against Watford, Klopp told the club’s official website on his favoured option: “It is Simon. It was a battle at the highest level in all the games in pre-season.
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“Simon looked really stable. He was involved in all the sessions. He did not have one bad day, which is cool, and after the season he had last year he is very confident. He has improved and is still improving in parts of his game.
“Loris had a few little issues but was really strong in the games he played. Wardy had a bad pre-season because of back problems.
“He couldn’t train and for a goalkeeper it is even worse to have back problems than another player, but everyone could see against Atletico that we have another good goalkeeper.
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“In this moment it is Simon one, Loris two and Wardy three. That is not a decision for the next 20 years.
“Things can happen, but I am as confident as possible that if one gets injured we still have really good options.”
Liverpool were linked with a move for another goalkeeper early in the summer transfer window, with England international Joe Hart among those said to have been considered, but Klopp moved quickly to quash the rumours and is clearly happy with those already at his disposal.