Karius gets Liverpool nod against Spartak

Moscow - Loris Karius will take Simon Mignolet's place in goal for Liverpool's second Champions League group game away to Spartak Moscow on Tuesday, manager Jurgen Klopp has confirmed.

Mignolet, 29, is Klopp's first-choice goalkeeper and saved a penalty in their 3-2 win at Leicester City on Saturday, but Karius started Liverpool's 2-2 draw with Sevilla in their first Group E game two weeks ago.

While the German is due to return to the starting XI against Russian champions Spartak, Klopp said that did not make him the club's first-choice goalkeeper in the Champions League.

"Yes, Loris will start," Klopp told the Liverpool website after he and his squad touched down in the Russian capital on Monday.

"I am not sure if I have to make a decision like this (about who is the Champions League goalkeeper). It's all about performing.

"That shouldn't be taken as me saying, 'You are not performing, you're out of the goal.' Everyone is allowed to make mistakes or whatever, but it's about performing in training and the games for all of our goalkeepers.

"He will play tomorrow and we will see, but Simon is the number one and that's the situation."

Karius, 24, joined Liverpool from German side Mainz a year ago, but was unable to dislodge Mignolet from between the posts during his first season at Anfield.