Rio Ferdinand suggests ‘calm’ Liverpool player should now start every game, after cameo vs Everton

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Liverpool defender Joel Matip was unlucky to miss out on the starting XI for today’s derby against Everton.

Matip was replaced in the Reds line-up on Saturday by Ibrahima Konate, ending a run of six consecutive Premier League starts.

After Konate was lucky to get away with a second yellow card though, Jurgen Klopp chose to bring the Cameroonian on.

It was only a 25-minute cameo from Matip, but he did enough to impress TNT Sports co-commentator Rio Ferdinand.

“He’s unlucky not to start in this team, Joel Matip,” said the former England defender.

“He always produces, always plays well. He had a great partnership with Virgil van Dijk a couple of years ago. He looks so cool and calm.”

With Konate looking a little shaky, Klopp has a decision to make for the coming games.

Ferdinand backs Matip

Although Konate started the season as the first-choice alongside Van Dijk, that has changed recently. Injury disrupted Ibou, and Matip took his place.

Konate has still been playing since recovering, but his starts have been reduced to Europa League and Carabao Cup matches.

Nevertheless, the expectation has always been that the Frenchman would return before too long.

He did that today, and was generally fine alongside Van Dijk. But the first yellow card was sloppy, and the potential second was, too.

Having seen enough, Klopp hauled Ibou off, with old dependable Matip on for the final 25-minutes or so.

And in predictable fashion, the 32-year-old came on and settled down any nerves. It was his challenge on Youssef Chermiti which set up the move to hand Mohamed Salah a second goal, too.

With the Europa League again on the calendar in midweek, that should give us an insight into where Klopp’s head is at. On the back of this, we’d say it could be Konate on Thursday, Matip in the Premier League once again next week.