Mignolet's maximum earns kudos from Klopp

WEST BROMWICH, England - Jurgen Klopp singled out Simon Mignolet for praise after the much-derided goalkeeper stood firm to help Liverpool earn a 1-0 win at West Bromwich Albion on Sunday.

Klopp was relieved to see his side hold on despite its failure to add a second goal to Roberto Firmino's first-half header at The Hawthorns on Sunday.

Victory moved the Reds into third place, two points clear of fourth-place Manchester City, as the scramble for Champions League qualification heats up.

Liverpool was grateful for a smart save by Mignolet from Matt Phillips late on, as well as some poor West Brom finishing.

"It is one of the most difficult places to go because you can't feel comfortable in one moment of the game," said Klopp.

"Somebody asked which scoreline would have kept me a little calmer in the last few minutes, and I said: 'Only 4-0 after 86 minutes'.

"Maybe then I would have thought it was done because with West Brom it's not only set-pieces."

Klopp hailed Mignolet, who capped a solid display to deny Phillips.

Several times in the dying minutes the Belgium international commanded his box well to punch clear high West Brom deliveries.

Klopp admitted it wasn't easy on the eye but was effective.

"At the end it doesn't look that spectacular, but he was really good around the set-pieces, I think with four or five fists," said the German, who dropped Mignolet earlier in the season.

"He was really good, on the front foot, all that stuff, and was very important again.

"We are very happy, three points today, so 66, that's a wonderful number for the next six or seven days.

"And then we want to move onto 69. I really thought that the boys, in a really difficult game, did really well."

Baggies boss Tony Pulis, however, was none too happy with his keeper, Ben Foster, who raced into the Liverpool penalty area for two corners in the dying minutes.

When the Reds cleared, Foster was left stranded and Albion almost conceded on the counter-attack to substitute Alberto Moreno, who skewed wide of the open goal.

"I've just had a chat with him, I don't like keepers going up for corners personally," Pulis said of Foster's foray.

"But I've never said it to Ben. He didn't know. He does now!

"We came up against a (strong) side today. Have a look at the resources they've got and we gave them a game. That's what we want to do every game.

"We've played Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool and given teams with resources way beyond our dreams a game."

Agence France-Presse