Jurgen Klopp Tightrope-Walking After Dropping Loris Karius for Middlesbrough Win

Perhaps more so than any other month, December is one inexorably linked with tradition—and this is certainly the case across England, as the festive season sets in and ritual is implicit.

This can be on an individual level, such as the extended family gathering to bask in the wonder of Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life; it can be cultural, such as the crowding of shopping malls on Boxing Day, despite a showering of gifts just 24 hours previous.

In the Premier League, tradition comes in the form of an increased demand for football, from both broadcasters and supporters alike—though, it must be said, likely not from players or managers.

For Liverpool, December's most recent tradition comes with the changing of goalkeepers, and this extended into its third year on Wednesday night, as the Reds took to the Riverside Stadium to take on Aitor Karanka's Middlesbrough.

While Brad Jones took Simon Mignolet's place in the final month of 2014, and Adam Bogdan did the same in December of 2015, it was the Belgian's turn to benefit from this most disruptive of customs, replacing the under-fire Loris Karius to don the gloves for Liverpool's trip to Teesside.

This comes as more of a drastic decision from manager Jurgen Klopp than that made for his side's 3-0 away loss to Watford midway through the 2015/16 campaign—that was dictated by Mignolet's hamstring injury—and one that represents something of a gamble by the German.

By opting to drop Karius on what would have been his 11th Premier League appearance since joining Liverpool from Mainz 05 in the summer, Klopp stepped onto a psychological tightrope.

Karius watched on from the substitutes' bench as the Reds sealed a 3-0 victory in a fine return to winning ways, and the impact of this likely temporary spell on the sidelines could be pivotal in the 23-year-old's burgeoning career on Merseyside. 

Klopp's move to omit Karius from his starting lineup at the Riverside came in the aftermath of an intense media whirlwind regarding the goalkeeper's form as Liverpool's No. 1, followed by a staunch defence of his performances.

Speaking to Sky Sports (h/t the Evening Standard's Tom Doyle) after the Reds' 4-3 collapse away to Bournemouth on December 4, Gary Neville suggested Karius was "good at transmitting anxiety," while Neville's colleague, Jamie Carragher, attested that "this goalkeeper is yet to convince me—in any game—that he's of the required standard."

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In response, Karius told the Mail's Ian Ladyman that "I don't care what Gary Neville said," drawing further criticism from Carragher, Neville and the latter's brother, Phil, who offered some stinging advice on the BBC's Match of the Day 2: "Keep your mouth shut and do your job."

This saw Klopp come to Karius' defence, telling reporters in the buildup to Liverpool's trip to Teesside that "pundits are former players who forgot completely how it felt when they got criticised."

"Especially the Neville brothers," he continued. "I have to say the one who was the manager, he obviously should know that too much criticism never helps."

While this seemed to serve as a definitive stance on Karius' role as Klopp's first-choice goalkeeper, this changed mere hours before kickoff at the Riverside, with the Times' Paul Joyce revealing a changing of the guard:

For the first time since September's 2-1 win away to Chelsea, Mignolet took up his place between the sticks in the Premier League, with Karius' demotion one of questionable motive by Klopp.

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Ignoring tradition, Klopp's decision could well have been a psychological one, designed to protect his long-term choice as Liverpool's No. 1.

Since joining the Reds in the summer, Karius has proved himself to be a confident player, telling LFCTV in May that he had taken up the famous shirt because he aimed "to be the No. 1 here at Liverpool."

But despite this, it remains the case that Karius is still only 23 years old, and while he spent two years with Manchester City as a teenager, this represents his first foray into the Premier League.

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Crucially, it must also be noted that, during Liverpool's pre-season tour of the United States, Karius broke a bone in his hand in a collision with Dejan Lovren, ruling him out of a crucial bedding-in period at his new club, and the first five games of the Premier League season.

With his injury a particularly brutal one for a goalkeeper, Karius has clearly suffered from a lack of conviction in goal for the Reds, and time on the sidelines could allow him to return with renewed vigour.

Alternatively, however, the move to restore Mignolet to the starting lineup could have been based on form.

The Belgian had coped well in early Premier League fixtures, as well as Liverpool's EFL Cup clashes with Burton Albion, Tottenham Hotspur and Derby County, conceding just once in those three games, and had maintained a consummate, professional attitude off the field, too.

With Karius committing high-profile errors against both Bournemouth and West Ham United, letting in six goals over the two games, Klopp may well have just opted for a change—just as he would with any other position across the pitch. 

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However, the trip to Middlesbrough did, on paper, present Karius with a good chance to respond: Karanka's side had scored the fewest goals in the Premier League, with 13 in 15 games, with only six of those coming at home, and the German would likely have enjoyed a quiet night.

Nevertheless, Mignolet produced an excellent display at the Riverside, making three fine stops in the first half to help weather the storm—including a strong save at his near post to deny Viktor Fischer—and providing a confident presence with Middlesbrough sending 15 crosses into the box.

On his return to the starting lineup, Mignolet kept his 50th clean sheet for the club, and with the 28-year-old excelling after his recall, it remains to be seen where Klopp and Karius go from here.

The former Germany under-21 international looked far from content on the substitutes' bench, with broadcasters catching a prolonged glare at Klopp as he sat behind his manager in the dugout.

But it may be a position he is forced to get used to for the time being, as Klopp told reporters after the game.

"Loris is very young and a great talent and everything will be very good in the end," he said, "but there is no time-frame for when he will be back."

Mignolet is likely to continue for Liverpool's upcoming Premier League clashes with Everton (December 19), Stoke City (December 27) and Manchester City (December 31), with Klopp looking to preserve his side's push at the top end of the table.

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For now, the 49-year-old has created a more competitive dynamic within the Reds' goalkeeping setup, with Karius, in theory, now pushing to usurp Mignolet between the sticks.

But while Klopp's move to drop Karius may have been designed to protect the youngster, a lengthy spell on the bench could move to achieve the opposite—and this is where the manager must perform his fine balancing act.

As he attested that "everything will be very good in the end," it is clear that he has faith in Karius as his long-term No. 1, but his next move in managing the goalkeeper's game time will be crucial.

Jack Lusby will be covering Liverpool throughout 2016/17 as one of Bleacher Report's lead correspondents. Statistics courtesy of WhoScored.com. Quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.

Follow Jack on Twitter—@jacklusby—and Facebook here.