Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers praises Simon Mignolet after Swansea City win

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has praised goalkeeper Simon Mignolet following his impressive performance during the Reds' 1-0 win over Swansea City on Monday night.

The Merseyside club kept up their quest for a place in the top four with a hard fought victory and the manager has credited the Belgian stopper for keeping them in the game in the first-half.

The former Sunderland goalkeeper came under heavy criticism during the first-half of the season for some disappointing performances, but after being dropped by the manager, Mignolet has stepped up his game and has been one of the best players in the Liverpool squad in recent weeks.

"There's no doubt, I think the last three months – with the team – he's been outstanding," Rodgers said, as quoted by the Liverpool Echo.

"We needed him first half, we were still in the game first half because of him, two important saves he made."

"He's been excellent. As I say the team suffered at the beginning of the season but clearly now you see his confidence," the Reds boss added.

The 1-0 win over Swansea also made it six clean sheets away from home for Rodgers' team, and it equalled the record set by legendary manager Bill Shankly's Liverpool team during the 1971/72 campaign.

The manager has hailed the character and resilience of his side to match the record, and believes that it is a sign that his team can win big matches away from home.

"I think for the team we looked at the numbers before the game in terms of victories away from home. I think last season we were up there with Arsenal for the team who won the most games away from home and this year we're in the top two or three teams as well.

"So we know we can go away and win because of the character of the team and the resilience of the team and importantly the quality," the Northern Irishman explained.

"But that's nice (the record) considering the quality of the teams that have played here, it shows you really the strides the team is making."

"To come away and get a clean sheet here at Swansea and get another victory, six clean sheets in a row away from home is a great great effort from the players," Rodgers concluded.