Simon Mignolet has revealed his secret role in Liverpool's title tussle (Image: GETTY)
With Alisson Becker having been signed for £65m last summer, Mignolet has only played in domestic cup competitions for the Reds.
The Belgian has watched from the substitutes’ bench in all but one of Liverpool’s 47 Premier League and Champions League games this season.
But he has revealed the previously-unknown role he has played in Liverpool’s title charge, with Jurgen Klopp’s side one point behind Manchester City with two games left of the campaign.
They can pile the pressure back on the reigning champions when they face Newcastle tomorrow (7.45pm) with City not in action until Monday night when they host Leicester (8pm).
And Mignolet insists he has helped Salah with his penalties, with the Egyptian having been Liverpool’s go-to man from 12 yards when the ever-reliable James Milner is not on the pitch.
Salah has taken three penalties in the Premier League this season, dispatching all of them including a match-winning spot-kick in a 1-0 win at Brighton back in January.
The 21-goal forward also scored from the spot in a 5-1 win at home to Arsenal, when he made it 4-1 shortly after half-time, while he scored the second goal in a 4-0 win over Newcastle on Boxing Day with a well-taken penalty.
Back-up shot-stopper Mignolet insists he has helped Salah to know which way opposition keepers will go having worked with him one-on-one in training.
Simon Mignolet has only played twice this season (Image: GETTY)
Simon Mignolet has been helping Mo Salah in training (Image: GETTY)
We practice penalties the day before a game and we work together
Simon Mignolet
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Mignolet told the Daily Mail: “He sits next to me on the coach when we travel to games.
“He asks me about penalties and what ideas the opposition goalkeeper will have.
“I’ll tell him he should do this or that. We practice penalties the day before a game and we work together.
“I try to do the same as the keeper he will face the next day, to make it as realistic as possible.”
Mohamed Salah has scored four penalties in all competitions this season (Image: GETTY)
Mohamed Salah scored a massive penalty at Brighton back in January (Image: GETTY)
And Mignolet believes as Liverpool hope and pray for City to drop points between now and May 12 that Salah’s penalty at Brighton was a significant moment in their season.
Asked about the Everton win in December when a dramatic injury-time goal from Divock Origi helped catapult a winning run, Mignolet said: “That win was huge. But I will pick another three out: Brighton away in January.
“We had lost two games against Manchester City and Wolves, and the match was dead, no chances for either team. Then Mo scored a penalty.
“A week later, we beat Crystal Palace 4-3. A crazy game but so, so important. Those six points were massive. One slip and it makes a hell of a difference.”