Mignolet sets sights on cup glory

05 February 2015 22:46

Goalkeeper Simon Mignolet believes Liverpool now have a big chance of winning the FA Cup after sneaking through their fourth-round replay against Bolton.

Only the Reds, Manchester United and Arsenal remain of the Barclays Premier League's top seven sides and, while a tough trip at fellow top-flight team Crystal Palace awaits, the Belgium international feels they now have a real opportunity to win some silverware.

Brendan Rodgers' side had a good run to the Capital One Cup semi-final before exiting to Chelsea and, after scoring twice in the last five minutes to turn the game around at 10-man Bolton, confidence continues to grow.

"When you are in a cup competition, you just want to go as far as possible and we showed great character after the penalty to come back and score twice in the last five minutes," Mignolet said.

Philippe Coutinho's stoppage-time strike secured a dramatic 2-1 win after Raheem Sterling had equalised in the 85th minute as Wanderers buckled under the pressure of having to play the last 25 minutes with 10 men following Neil Danns' dismissal. Eidur Gudjohnsen had put the Trotters ahead just before the hour through a disputed penalty.

"It is a big relief, especially when you can do it in the 90 minutes rather than go to extra time - especially with the derby (on Saturday) in mind," Mignolet continued.

"It can only help the confidence. The main thing is to progress in the cup because we have a big chance.

"This is Liverpool Football Club. We want to win every single game - it does not matter where you are playing. We want to win.

"It does not matter who you come across. Of course we have the belief we can do it - at Liverpool you want to win every competition you feature in, not just the FA Cup."

The league defeat at Selhurst Park in November, when they lost 3-1 to the struggling Londoners despite taking a second-minute lead, was probably the lowest point of the season.

However, Mignolet insists revenge will not be on the players' minds when they return a week on Saturday.

"You can't afford to think like that," he said. "You just need to think we won (against Bolton), now we have the derby, then Tottenham and then a completely different game against Crystal Palace.

"You can only think of what is immediately to come and get ready for Saturday and not look too far ahead."

Liverpool probably think they owe Everton as well after Phil Jagielka's remarkable 90th-minute equaliser earned Roberto Martinez's men a 1-1 draw at Anfield in September.

The two teams meet at Goodison Park with Rodgers' side in much better form than their first encounter, but Mignolet said they cannot afford to be complacent.

"It is a totally different game to Bolton," he said. "Nobody has to get up for that. We all know what it is going to be like and we'll be ready.

"We'll make sure we try to do exactly what we have been doing.

"You can't think too much about what you have been doing but must start again for the next 90 minutes."

Mignolet himself is also in much better form and has no concerns about tackling the heat of a Merseyside derby.

"The Newcastle derby was pretty hostile as well with the reception, but you enjoy the big games," the former Sunderland goalkeeper said.

"You want to be in the spotlight. You enjoy it. I am 100 per cent about winning - not clean sheets,

"You win with the full 18 players - the whole squad - and that does not change."

Source: PA