Friday 15 December 2017 05:29, UK
Loris Karius says he is ready to do battle with Simon Mignolet for the goalkeeper's jersey at Liverpool after earning a rare start against West Brom.
Karius kept a clean sheet in only his second Premier League appearance of the season as Liverpool drew 0-0 against the Baggies on Wednesday.
The 24-year-old German, who is Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp's designated goalkeeper for the Champions League, says he didn't expect to be given a start during the European competition's two-month hiatus.
"Of course, it has been quite a while," he said, having last started a league game in August against Arsenal.
"Obviously I've had the Champions League games but there are not that many so I was happy to get a start, it's always nice. I wasn't really expecting it.
"It is always a battle [to be first choice], it doesn't matter in which club or which position.
"If you don't perform well, even when you start, you might lose your spot in any position so you have to perform and the rest is up to the manager.
"I was happy I got a start and I just try to keep the standard high in training. The decision who plays is the manager's job."
Klopp's rotation policy has been criticised after Liverpool dropped points at home against both Everton and West Brom within a week but Karius says the players cannot use that as an excuse for the results.
"I think if you look at the starting XI that is pretty much a starting XI which has played together before," he said.
"It is not as if there are six new players coming in. We are all professionals and have played a bunch of games so there is no excuse.
"The manager picks the strongest, fittest team.
"We have dropped points but we still believe in our ability. We did when we played well and we do when we drop points."
