Simon Mignolet vs €18m Liverpool Target – A Statistical Comparison To Analyse If Klopp Really Needs Him

Liverpool’s Simon Mignolet vs Real Madrid’s Keylor Navas – A Statistical Comparison

Liverpool’s performances at the back have not been too convincing so far. Their leaky defence coupled with Simon Mignolet and Loris Karius’ inconsistent performances have stripped them all of their chances to do well. They need to sort out their defence soon, especially if they are to compete with the best of teams in the continent – and a big part of that defensive improvement will be to sign a top quality goalkeeper.

Since the departure of Pepe Reina, Liverpool have lacked a consistent goalkeeper. At the moment, Mignolet is Liverpool’s first choice keeper and the Belgian does boast of a fantastic record. However, he has failed to make an impact this term. This has prompted the Reds to attempt to sign a new goalkeeper and according to reports, they want €18m-rated Real Madrid star Keylor Navas.

Navas’ current contract with the reigning European Champions will expire in 2020 which would could see an increased price tag but Navas has the quality to solve the goalkeeping dilemma at Anfield. Besides, a new goalkeeper to challenge Simon Mignolet and Loris Karius can be beneficial, since they have both failed to be convincing enough as first-choice keepers.

With that said, how do Mignolet and Navas compare to each other in terms of numbers? Let’s take a look at their stats.

Simon Mignolet vs Keylor Navas

Mignolet has appeared 11 times for the Reds so far this season, and has supplied 3 clean sheets in the Premier League. The player has conceded a shocking 16 goals already, while making a mere 21 saves. He has saved one penalty for Liverpool, while making 0.3 clearances and 2.2 saves per game. The player has also picked up 2 yellow cards in the process.

Navas, on the other hand, has appeared 9 times for Real Madrid – including three times in the Champions League. On an average, he makes 0.4 clearances and 2.8 saves per game. He has kept 2 clean sheets for Zidane’s side so far, while conceding 0.83 goals on an average. An injury did hamper his progress, which limited his appearances but the player is expected to return soon.

Verdict

As the numbers show, Navas is definitely better off. He has appeared fewer times than Mignolet and has yet managed to maintain either similar or better figures than Mignolet’s. Moreover, the world has seen Navas’ quality numerous times in Real Madrid’s goal and there is no doubt that the player would continue the good work at Anfield as well, if he does indeed sign for the Reds.

(PS: This article was written before Liverpool’s 4-1 win vs West Ham United. Simon Mignolet started the game and played for full 90 minutes)