Mignolet: The test will change tonight
Simon Mignolet anticipates a different approach from Besiktas when Liverpool attempt to overcome the Turkish outfit in the second leg of their Europa League tie this evening.
Seven days ago, the Reds secured a slender advantage in an evenly-fought last 32 contest courtesy of a late penalty from substitute Mario Balotelli in front of the Kop at Anfield.
Tonight they return to the scene of one of the club's greatest ever triumphs on the continent - the Ataturk Stadium, where a fifth European Cup was lifted a decade ago.
Waiting for them this time are Besiktas, a well-drilled, smart and dangerous side guided by Slaven Bilic, who showed on Merseyside how tough they will be to overcome.
In the first leg, the Super Lig contenders adopted a counter-attacking game plan designed to thwart Liverpool and perhaps secure a crucial away goal under the Anfield floodlights.
Their failure to do so means Bilic's charges must score in the second leg. Therefore Mignolet, who has recorded seven clean sheets in 2015, expects a more attacking style from the hosts.
"We are going into the game with a 1-0 lead, so they know they have to score to win the tie," the Belgian told Liverpoolfc.com before departing for Istanbul.
"So it will be slightly different. At Anfield, they were sitting back a bit more and trying to keep a clean sheet and go back to Turkey with a 0-0 or 1-1.
"Now they know they have to score a goal, so the game will be slightly more open. But we have to look at ourselves. Away from home in the Europa League, every game is tough.
"Once we kick off, you have to forget about what has happened in the previous game and just see it as a one-off final - and if you win that final, you go through to the next round. That's how you should look at it rather than overthinking too much.
"It will be a good atmosphere at the stadium as well; some of our guys will go back there with great memories. Hopefully we can get through to the next round, that's the only thing that matters.
"We know it's not going to be easy. They have got a good team - they showed that at Anfield. But we have to make sure that with the 1-0 advantage we have got from the home leg, we come back having gone into the next stage of the Europa League."
The team that hoists aloft the Europa League trophy in Warsaw this May will claim not only the silverware but also a coveted spot in next season's Champions League.
While the added incentive is attractive to all involved in the competition, Mignolet insists any such thoughts are hugely premature at this relatively early stage.
He said: "We want to play in the Champions League next year and there are five ways of doing that: making sure you get into the top four places of the Premier League or winning the Europa League.
"But let's not get ahead of ourselves and think about any final or winning the Europa League. Let's make sure we do our jobs at Besiktas."
That tunnel vision and focus on simply the next game is reiterated by the in-form stopper when the subject of Sunday's Barclays Premier League clash with Manchester City arises too.
"It will come quickly, a midday kick-off after a trip to Istanbul," came the No.22's response. "But we're not really thinking about that at the moment.
"We'll make sure that once we get back from Istanbul we recover well for that game. But Besiktas is the only thing in our minds, that's the only thing we can think of at this moment in time, rather than thinking about the games that will come after that."