Liverpool vs Chelsea: 5 Key Battles

5. Simon Mignolet vs Thibaut Courtois

Mignolet and Courtois are both international goalkeepers for Belgium, but that is pretty much where the comparison stops this season. On one hand you have a player in Mignolet completely lacking confidence, making a fair number of individual errors in the process, while on the other you have Courtois, who continues to develop into one of the finest 'keepers on the planet. The 22-year-old has been immaculate for the Blues since returning from his loan spell at Atletico Madrid in the summer. High-profile Premier League clashes, a category that Saturday's showdown most certainly falls into, can often be decided by the goalkeeper, with a shocking error or a vital late save the difference between the two sides. There is every chance that the weekend's game will be quite a cagey affair at times, and both men will have to be on their toes. One lapse in concentration could prove fatal. Mignolet has to produce a performance akin to that of Tuesday's display against Real Madrid in the Champions League, in what was his finest 90 minutes of the season so far. If he is not dominant aerially against Chelsea's powerful unit, it could mean serious trouble. There are no issues with Courtois whatsoever, and if he stays as solid and dependable as he has been so far this season, Liverpool will find it extremely tough to get past him.
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Football writer, Liverpool fanatic. That's pretty much all you need to know. Love Film and Music too.