Simon Mignolet is certain Liverpool will play on the front foot in the return leg of their Champions League play-off tie with Hoffenheim rather than set out to protect their slender one-goal advantage.

Jürgen Klopp’s side left Germany with a 2-1 win courtesy of Trent Alexander-Arnold’s first-half free-kick and a Havard Nordtveit own goal, but substitute Mark Uth struck late to keep the Bundesliga outfit’s hopes of an upset alive.

Mignolet himself saved an early Andrej Kramaric penalty that would have put the hosts ahead and had to come to his team-mates’ rescue on several other occasions after they were caught too open, but he does not expect Klopp’s game plan to change at Anfield.

Hoffenheim vs Liverpool player ratings Show all 11 1 /11 Hoffenheim vs Liverpool player ratings Hoffenheim vs Liverpool player ratings Simon Mignolet - 7 out of 10 Liverpool have a lot to thank Mignolet for after his performance against Hoffenheim. He made a string of good stops in the first half including a penalty save. Liverpool FC via Getty Images Hoffenheim vs Liverpool player ratings Trent Alexander-Arnold – 8 Alexander-Arnold scored a superb free kick to put Liverpool into the lead in the first half and rarely put a foot wrong when defending at the back. Nathaniel Clyne’s route back to the first team might not be not be as easy as first thought. Bongarts/Getty Images Hoffenheim vs Liverpool player ratings Alberto Moreno – 4 The left back was pressing high up the pitch when Hoffenheim attacked the void left by Moreno and won a penalty from Lovren. The Spaniard was continuously caught out of position and needs to defend better if he is to continue to start games. Bongarts/Getty Images Hoffenheim vs Liverpool player ratings Joel Matip - 5 Matip made a crucial interception in the first half when Gnabry was waiting to score. Liverpool were caught on a couple of occasions from set plays, Matip has to be more vocal at the back. Liverpool FC via Getty Images Hoffenheim vs Liverpool player ratings Dejan Lovren – 4 Lovern was left exposed in the first half and brought down Serge Gnabry in the box when the winger took it past him. He was unlucky not to score with a header from a corner which went narrowly past the post. The centre-back was played Uth onside when he scored his goal to give Hoffenheim a glimmer of hope for the second leg. Liverpool FC via Getty Images Hoffenheim vs Liverpool player ratings Georginio Wijnaldum - 6 Wijnaldum also had a quiet game but linked up well with the attacking players in front of him. AFP/Getty Images Hoffenheim vs Liverpool player ratings Emre Can - 6 The German was very strong in the midfield and rarely put a foot wrong. Can was effective when playing a deeper role when Milner came on and was decisive with his passing in the final third. Bongarts/Getty Images Hoffenheim vs Liverpool player ratings Jordan Henderson – 5 The captain came off after a quiet 62 minutes. Henderson was tidy with his passing but produced nothing noteworthy. Getty Hoffenheim vs Liverpool player ratings Mohamed Salah – 6 Liverpool’s summer signing looked threatening when he got forward but was unable to contribute to any goals. Liverpool FC via Getty Images Hoffenheim vs Liverpool player ratings Sadio Mane – 6 As usual, Mane was bright on the break for Liverpool. His quick turn and pace won the free kick which Alexander-Arnold scored to but the Reds ahead. Liverpool FC via Getty Images Hoffenheim vs Liverpool player ratings Roberto Firmino – 5 It was an unusually quiet evening for Roberto Firmino against his former club. He came off late in the second half after failing to add to his goal from the weekend. Liverpool FC via Getty Images

“We can only play one way and that is forward,” the goalkeeper said. “To score two goals away from home, if we score one at Anfield it will be very difficult for them. We knew that we can always score. We have so much style up front.

Following Saturday’s 3-3 draw at Watford, in which two of their opponents’ goals were conceded from set-pieces, Liverpool’s defending was widely criticised by supporters and in the media.

Mignolet believes he saw an improvement on that front against Hoffenheim and the 29-year-old thinks Klopp’s side will have found the right balance by the time of next Wednesday’s second leg.

“We took a lot of steps defensively today and we were solid,” he said after Liverpool’s victory. “On set pieces we defended well too and that is what we have to learn. We know what we have to improve after the Watford game and we have a good dressing room that will deal with that.

“We have the qualities and our natural game will be attacking, and we know we have to fill that in with a really defensive spirit. We know that is where we have to improve. We are not blind.

“Everybody knows it in the dressing room, but there is no point throwing everything away. A natural footballing side that goes forward, you cannot change that but we know we have to mix that in with a good defensive, aggressive spirit to make sure they don’t score the goals.