Mignolet helping Liverpool grind out results

by Dave Usher for ESPN

One of the keys to being a successful team is mastering the art of grinding out 1-0 wins. No matter how good a team are, it's impossible to play well every week and the teams at the top end of the table are there because they can usually find a way to win, irrespective of their level of performance. It's a trait that has been notable by its absence in Liverpool for several years, so whilst the win at Villa Park was far from being a classic, there's something particularly pleasing about it; this time last year Brendan Rodger's side would have been unlikely to have escaped with three points.

In fact, this time last season the Reds were dropping two points at home to then champions Manchester City, despite producing a fantastic performance. It was a travesty Liverpool didn't win that day, Yaya Toure even described it as the toughest game he's had in all his time in England. Whilst it was nice to receive plaudits for the performance, unfortunately style points don't count when the league table is compiled. That City result wasn't a freak occurrence, too often in recent seasons Liverpool couldn't even win games when they played well, never mind when their performance level dropped.

Last weekend against Stoke City the performance was impressive, yet the afternoon could so easily have ended in disappointment had it not been for Simon Mignolet's late penalty save. That was a game Liverpool probably wouldn't have won last year and the same can be said of Saturday's triumph over Villa, which was an archetypal 'game of two halves'.

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