Arne Slot addresses Ibrahima Konate injury blow after Liverpool’s win over Brighton

Arne Slot says helium is uncertain astir the severity of Ibrahima Konate’s wounded pursuing Liverpool’s 2-1 triumph implicit Brighton but hopes the defender tin instrumentality ‘as soon arsenic possible’ fixed his ‘impact’ this season.

Konate, making his ninth consecutive commencement successful the Premier League, lasted conscionable 45 minutes of this afternoon’s clash, with Joe Gomez coming connected successful his spot for the the 2nd half.

The 25-year-old Frenchman appeared successful immoderate discomfort portion being assessed by Liverpool’s aesculapian staff, earlier utilizing his garment arsenic a makeshift sling arsenic helium made his mode disconnected the tract astatine Anfield.

The hosts would spell connected to implicit a stunning comeback arsenic Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah netted successful speedy succession pursuing Ferdi Kadioglu’s aboriginal opener to instrumentality a two-point pb astatine the apical of the array – with Manchester City and Arsenal some losing.

But Konate’s concerning wounded took immoderate of the radiance of Liverpool’s triumph and the Merseyside giants look acceptable to beryllium without the centre-back for immoderate time, with games coming heavy and accelerated domestically and successful Europe.

‘We don’t cognize yet,’ Slot told reporters erstwhile asked astir the seriousness of Konate’s wounded astatine his post-match property conference.

‘He had a batch of symptom but helium hasn’t been to the infirmary yet and possibly it’s not adjacent indispensable to spell to the hospital, I don’t know.

‘But it’s ever hard to justice an wounded successful the archetypal hr oregon the archetypal 10 minutes aft it happened.

‘Let’s anticipation that helium tin beryllium with america arsenic soon arsenic imaginable due to the fact that helium had a large interaction connected our play until now.

‘But Joe deserved the spot I gave him contiguous due to the fact that helium played outstandingly successful the 2nd half.’

Slot was massively impressed by Brighton’s show but criticised his side’s lacklustre showing successful the opening 45 minutes.

‘Credit to Brighton for the mode they showed up implicit here. They were not acrophobic to play retired from the backmost truly well,’ the Dutchman added.

‘They had a batch of vigor without the shot and we didn’t amusement up astatine each successful each portion of the game, possibly isolated from the set-pieces part, but for the remainder we were not there.

‘If you look a precise bully squad similar Brighton it’s not capable to tally once, doubly oregon 3 times… you person to support connected running.

‘We changed our tactics a spot but that had thing to bash with america coming retired stronger successful the 2nd half, it each had to bash that the players showed a antithetic cognition and intensity.

‘I wasn’t screaming oregon fuming [at half-time], it’s conscionable making definite the players recognize that this was not capable and I deliberation they felt that themselves arsenic well.’

Asked whether a large accidental had opened up successful the rubric contention pursuing defeats for Manchester City and Arsenal, Slot replied: ‘No, not due to the fact that of the information they mislaid but what I bash similar a batch is that 2 times we went 1 extremity behind, against Arsenal 1-0 and 2-1, and 2 times we were capable to combat ourselves backmost into the game.

‘To travel backmost truthful beardown against a squad [Brighton] that has spent truthful overmuch wealth successful caller years arsenic well, led by a fewer precise bully managers, past to travel backmost the mode we did, that gives maine a batch of assurance for the remainder of the season.

‘But I besides told the players that the 45 minutes of the shot we played successful the archetypal half, that volition successful the extremity punish you determination truthful we request to amusement up from the start.

‘The assemblage were unthinkable successful the 2nd half, our fans were incredible. Our players but our fans arsenic well. It was the loudest since I’ve been present truthful let’s spell present for Tuesday.’

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