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| David James has the record for most clean sheets, but also most goals conceded in the Premier League |
DAVID JAMES has backed Simon Mignolet to hang on to the Liverpool No 1 shirt.
The Belgian goalkeeper finished second in the Golden Glove standings with 13 clean sheets last season, but this term has struggled with some high-profile errors.
But despite his conceding 19 Premier League goals so far this year, Mignolet has won the support of James, who made more than 200 appearances for the Anfield outfit.
"I’m a Simon Mignolet fan,” James told the Liverpool Echo.
"Goalkeepers are human beings. They make mistakes and errors of judgement. He misjudged the flight of the ball - it happens.
“Another goalkeeper I’m a big fan of is Petr Cech.
"His first game for Arsenal against West Ham wasn’t the best but he’s still a top drawer keeper."
Mignolet is now well down the clean sheets table for the season, with Cech tied for first with England duo Joe Hart and Jack Butland.
But Cech, who has just equalled James' Premier League clean sheet record, signed for Arsenal as a solution to a goalkeeper position that has troubled Arsene Wenger since veteran Jens Lehmann left in 2008.
Mignolet on the other hand took over from Pepe Reina, a club legend, and despite saving a late penalty to effectively win the game 1-0 against Stoke, he still had his doubters.
"There have been questions asked about Simon ever since he joined Liverpool," James added.
"I think a lot of that is down to the calibre of goalkeepers Liverpool had before him.
"It wasn’t easy replacing someone like Pepe Reina who had done so well for the club.
"The goalkeeping position at Liverpool will always be under scrutiny because it’s one of the biggest clubs in the world.
"You have to be one of the best in the world to survive there.
"I liked the way Klopp came out after the game and tried to take the blame himself for the first goal.
"It means a lot for a manager to come out and back you like that."
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