Loris Karius will start ahead of Mignolet when Liverpool take on Sevilla in Champions League

Jurgen Klopp has confirmed that Loris Karius will start in goal for Liverpool when they take on Sevilla in their opening group game in the Champions League on Wednesday (13 September).

The Reds are playing in Europe's elite club competition for the first time since the 2014/15 campaign and the manager will be keen to get off to a winning start.

Simon Mignolet has been the manager's preferred choice between the sticks this season, but Karius has been used from time to time. The latter started the 4-0 win over Arsenal before the international break but was dropped for Liverpool's 5-0 thrashing at the hands of Manchester City.

The German stopper will be again entrusted with the gloves for the visit of Sevilla on Wednesday, but Klopp made it clear that it does not mean Mignolet has dropped to number two for the rest of the campaign.

"What I can say is, if nothing happens overnight, Loris Karius will play tomorrow – that's true," Klopp said during his pre-match briefing, as quoted on Liverpool's official site.

Klopp revealed that Mignolet and Karius are at a good level and made it clear that he will make changes during the campaign unless one among the two disappoints during training. The manager was quite offended when asked about the former's status as the preferred choice after Klopp confirmed Karius as the goalkeeper for the Champions League game.

"Look, I can't believe... I'm not sure if this is your job to ask this question, but no it doesn't mean that – and please don't do that. Of course not. The situation I can say with absolute truth. If we have Simon as No 1 and play the other goalkeepers not once throughout the year," Klopp said about the goalkeeper situation, as quoted by the Mirror.

"If we don't give them a game then every year we have to find a new No 2 who is 33, still able to catch a few balls and doesn't want to play anymore. I prefer having a group of good goalkeepers, and that means you have to change things. The game against Arsenal when Loris played was exactly how I said.

"That's the plan – not to keep them happy. No, to use the quality of the goalkeepers and that's how it is, to keep them altogether and then they will decide with the performance who will play.

"Why do we always think No 1, No 2, No 3 is fixed until the end of all days? I don't want to bring that in doubt, but how can you ask if he's No 1?" the German coach added.

Klopp could also call on Philippe Coutinho for the game against Sevilla after the Brazilian trained with the first-team on Tuesday (12 September).