Benteke Fighting To Prove Worth – Simon Mignolet

Christian Benteke is still striving to be a success at Anfield, according to his Liverpool and Belgium teammate Simon Mignolet.

Benteke, 25, has struggled to impose himself for the Reds since making a £32.5 million move from Aston Villa last summer, starting just 12 league matches this season.

The striker has still found the net seven times in the Premier League though, the latest of which was an injury-time penalty in a 2-1 win at Crystal Palace two weeks ago.

Benteke has rarely looked like the player who scored 42 league goals during his three seasons with Villa but Mignolet, 28, says the former Genk forward is still trying hard to prove himself.

“Everyone knows his qualities,” the Liverpool goalkeeper told Belgian TV station Sporza. “When you’re a footballer, you want to play in all the matches and it’s not easy when you’re on the bench.

“He’s continuing to work hard at training and for his place. He does his best every day.”

On Sunday, Mignolet could not prevent Liverpool from letting a two-goal half-time lead slip at Southampton and a 3-2 defeat in that game means Jurgen Klopp’s men have dropped to ninth in the table.

Liverpool have two games in hand on some of the teams above them and Mignolet is hopeful that they will manage to earn a top-four place come the end of the season.

The ex-Sunderland keeper also thinks Liverpool can win the Europa League, although he believes that they have been handed the toughest quarterfinal draw possible.

“There are nine matches left and we have to finish as high as possible in the table, but in England there’s a lot of competition [for a top-four finish],” he said.

“We’re also hoping to go as far as possible in the Europa League. It won’t be easy because we drew Dortmund — they’re without doubt the best team left in the competition.”