Ibrahima Konate makes most of Arne Slot change as Liverpool star returns to Leipzig

Ibrahima Konate has go arguably Liverpool's champion defender this play and the France international, who visits erstwhile nine Leipzig successful the Champions League tonight, is besides opening to marque an interaction going forward

Ibrahima Konate has not looked back. Thrust disconnected the seat astatine half-time successful Liverpool’s play opener distant to Ipswich, the France centre backmost instantly solidified his presumption arsenic Virgil van Dijk’s partner.

Now the 25-year-old prepares to look his erstwhile nine RB Leipzig successful the Champions League contiguous with immoderate fans wondering if helium is becoming Liverpool’s champion defender.

That a caller declaration is adjacent to being announced , portion skipper Van Dijk waits to larn astir his aboriginal astatine Anfield, whitethorn vaguely hint astatine the semipermanent presumption nether Arne Slot.

What cannot beryllium up for statement is however highly regarded the caller caput coach, truthful acold reluctant to rotate, considers Konate.

That Liverpool person conceded conscionable 3 times successful their opening 8 league games points to however ascendant Konate and Van Dijk person been astatine their job.

But it is the enactment connected the shot that has near Slot truthful impressed.

The archetypal fractional of Sunday’s triumph against Chelsea whitethorn person seemed dull for galore neutrals arsenic some defences passed it sideways successful an enactment of ultra conservatism but rewind a fewer weeks to their 3-0 triumph against Bournemouth and determination was a antithetic illustration of Konate’s class.

On that juncture helium provided an assistance for Luis Diaz and started the moves for the Reds’ different 2 goals.

Andoni Iraola’s squad made a constituent of pressing Van Dijk erstwhile successful possession, allowing Konate the clip and abstraction to marque a decisive interaction connected the match.

“It was a astonishment for america arsenic well, due to the fact that each the games they’d played up until present they were pressing the near centre-back with their No10 and this was the archetypal clip they went to the right,” Slot said after.

“For america it was a existent bully determination … due to the fact that it led to 3 goals. But who knows what would person happened if they’d fixed Virgil the aforesaid magnitude of space, possibly we would person scored adjacent more. But it’s a precise affirmative happening for america and for maine to spot that, if they deliberation they tin property Ibou, that Ibou is susceptible of uncovering his teammates.”

Perhaps Konate is being underestimated by opponents and determination remains plentifulness of abstraction to amended - helium lone scored a archetypal Premier League extremity successful September and recovered the nett lone 4 times successful adjacent to 100 appearances successful each competitions astatine Leipzig.

Becoming a greater menace from acceptable pieces, an country wherever Van Dijk has successful the past thrived, is an evident spot to start.

But having yet nailed down a starting role, the £36m interest paid successful May 2021 abruptly looks similar alternatively bully value.

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