Mignolet delight at ‘dream’ Liverpool debut

The Belgium goalkeeper, signed from Sunderland, saved a penalty in the final moments against Stoke City to ensure that the Reds took all three points from their opening game

Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet has described his Anfield debut as a “dream” following his dramatic penalty save in the final minutes to ensure an opening day victory against Stoke City.

The Reds dominated for much of the game but had only a one-goal advantage, obtained by Daniel Sturridge, to show for it when the 25-year-old kept out Jonathan Walters’s penalty and he was thrilled to avoid a late-game slump.

“There is an unwritten law in football that, if you play well and don’t take your chances, there will be chances for the ­opposition,” the Belgian told reporters after the game.

“I was thinking that, the longer the game went on. I had a feeling they would equalise in the last minute, really.

“It was the debut that you dream of. I had hoped to do something like that but you never really think you will. Saving a penalty in the last minute, on your first game for Liverpool…

“It can have a damaging effect if you play well and don’t win,” Mignolet added. “We can now go to the next game being relaxed that we can do the same things we have done, rather than feeling anxious that we have to win.

“It does change things. This time we won and that hasn’t happened too often for Liverpool on the opening day of the season in recent years. This is very important to set our season off.”

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